Bulldozer Vocabulary Shapes Islamophobia in India

The article examines how Islamophobic language in India, such as "land jihad" and "UPSC jihad," dehumanizes Muslims and normalizes their exclusion. Terms like "anti-encroachment" mask targeted violence against Muslim properties and religious sites. This vocabulary reshapes public perception, making discrimination seem legitimate. The repeated use of "jihad" as a peitive constructs Muslims as threats, numbing society to ongoing injustices. Legal interventions alone cannot counter deeply embedded linguistic frameworks that quietly enable systemic marginalization and erode democratic values.