In the last 6 decades, 2022 has been the most peaceful year for the country in terms of cumulative incidences of rioting in any calendar year. From the time Indira Gandhi became the Prime Minister of the country, till 2022, last year recorded the lowest number of riots across the country, as per the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data. In the year 2022, around 37,816 incidents of riots were recorded across the nation.
In the last five years, cumulative incidences of rioting have been decreasing on a year-on-year basis. Notably, it has declined by more than 35% in the same period.
The rioting incidents decreased by 9.5% in 2022 as compared to incidents recorded a year prior to that. As per NCRB data, the country recorded a total of 41,954 incidents of rioting in the year 2021.
Strikingly, the NCRB data reveals that while BJP-ruled states have performed well in reducing riots and strengthening law and order, while Congress-ruled states have proved to be laggards in this. Notably, states like Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Assam have succeeded in reducing riots in the last five years. Incidentally, cases of rioting had increased in Chhattisgarh under the rule of the outgoing Congress government in the state.
Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, and Assam have achieved the greatest success in reducing riots in the last five years. NCRB data of rioting cases in 2022 as against that of 2018 points out that the number of riots in Gujarat and Assam decreased by 90% and 80% respectively. In the country’s largest state Uttar Pradesh, there has been success in reducing riots by 50% during the rule of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
In contrast, riots increased under the Congress government once it assumed power in Chhattisgarh in the year 2018. In the year 2018, Chhattisgarh under Bhupesh Baghel’s tenure registered 665 incidents of riots and by the year 2022, it increased by 30% to 961. With the announcement of election results, the state will now see a change of government in the state as BJP secured 54 seats while the outgoing ruling party, Congress won 35 seats.
Pertinent to note that in BJP-ruled states, that have recorded a reduction in the number of rioting incidences, illegal properties of criminals have been bulldozed to the ground to maintain law and order. Additionally, criminals’ properties have been continuously confiscated and photographs of rioters have been displayed among the public.
Riots (violence) in India is on a steady decline. The country is most peaceful in 50 years. Here’s the updated analysis using NCRB data: https://t.co/RT5ppFdW20 pic.twitter.com/ko9FpA8g21
— Shamika Ravi (@ShamikaRavi) June 15, 2023
A statistical analysis of cases of rioting in the country highlights that there was a continuous increase in riots in the country since independence. In the year 1981, when Indira Gandhi was the Prime Minister, this figure had crossed 1.10 lakh. The first sharp decline in the incidents of riots in the country was recorded during the tenure of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
However, cumulative incidences of rioting once again increased in the country during the UPA government. Since Prime Minister Modi came to power in 2014, the number of riots in the country has been continuously decreasing making every new year the most peaceful year in the country.
In 2013, the last full year of Congress’s rule, the number of riots in the country was 72,126, which has come down to almost half during PM Modi’s tenure. Thus, in the Narendra Modi government, the incidents of riots in the country have reduced by about 48 percent.
