Covid-19, communalism, and Islamophobia: India facing the disease

As threats to human security, epidemics cause fear and anxiety, thus generating conspiracy theories, fake news, discrimination. In 2020, the most widespread xenophobic reaction Covid-19 pandemic was Sinophobia. comparison, India’s response both conventional exceptional. Like other countries, India recorded a surge in Sinophobia; but –remarkably– Islamophobia too. Turning history theory, this paper investigates how Coronavirus got transformed into ‘Muslim disease’ connected narratives of holy war Islamization (‘Corona Jihad’). We contextualize 2020 Covid-related Islamophobic wave within longer process demonization Muslim that is catalysed by beliefs policies Hindu nationalism. light Muslims’ continuing relegation fringe Indian body-politic, we propose an interpretation disease-induced as scapegoating, based on René Girard’s mimetic theory. conclusion, case confirms divided societies collective like are likely exacerbate already existing forms discrimination rooted society’s mainstream memory norms, highlights role mediating between threat violence. This study also deep penetration communal discourse everydayness its far-reaching implications.