Premeditated Causes of the 2002 Gujarat Pogrom: A Comprehensive Analysis of Contributing Factors that Led to the Manifestation of the Riots

Abstract

In the last 30 years, the nature of communalism in India has changed significantly. This increase in violence is commonly attributed to the rise of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP); however, there are other factors that contributed to the 2002 Gujarat pogrom. Despite the considerable research done on the Gujarat riots, little is known about their cause, aside from the BJP's apparent involvement. This study uses qualitative research methods to uncover a comprehensive list of factors believed to have led to the riots. An analysis of firsthand accounts taken from witnesses, in conjunction with secondary research done by experts in the field, reveals a preponderance of causes independent of the BJP's presence. The political insecurity of the state, in addition to a general lack of progressiveness, educational inequity, and an increase in the impact of globalization policies are the most important factors that led to the escalation of violence in Gujarat. This project will contribute to future research related to communal violence in India by helping researchers analyze the cause of the riots from an unbiased and historical perspective. It will help scholars realize that the causes of the riot were not only rooted in the BJP's political agenda but were also the result of economic and sociological problems that have been present in Gujarat for centuries.