IODChanel59686 at 16:10, 1 April 2026

2026-04-01T16:10:17Z

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{{Short description|Riots and civil disorder in Madras}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Use Indian English|date=March 2025}}
During the '''1990 Madras riots''', violence broke out between [[Muslims]] and [[Hindus]] during a Hindu religious procession near a Mosque in September 1997 in Triplicane, [[Tamil Nadu]].<ref>{{Cite web|author=News9 Staff|date=2021-09-09|title=DMK vs Bhakts on Ganesha: How a private Hindu festival turned into a streetfest and slugfest|url=https://www.news9live.com/india/dmk-vs-bhakts-on-ganesha-how-a-private-festival-turned-into-a-streetfest-and-slugfest-100231|access-date=2022-03-03|website=NEWS9LIVE|language=en}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EMrhDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT177|title=The Algebra of Warfare-Welfare: A Long View of India's 2014 Election|last1=Ahmad|first1=Irfan|last2=Kanungo|first2=Pralay|date=2018-12-24|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-909753-1|language=en}}</ref> Three Muslims were reported to be killed in the violence. Unofficial reports place the death toll to five to six. Muslim owned stores were burned down and looted.

== Background ==
[[Triplicane]] is a neighbourhood in [[Madras]](present day [[Chennai]]) where temples and mosques coexisted amicably and Hindu and Muslim residents have coexisted for many years.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web|last=Viswanathan|first=Anand|date=30 September 1990|title=Communal tension mounts during Ganesh Chaturthi procession in Madras|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/indiascope/story/19900930-communal-tension-mounts-during-ganesh-chaturthi-procession-in-madras-813094-1990-09-30|access-date=2022-03-03|website=India Today|language=en}}</ref> Triplicane has a sizable Muslim population.<ref name=":2" /> Tamil Nadu witnessed large-scale communal violence in [[Nagore]], [[Dindigul|Dindugul]], [[Ambur]] in the months preceding the violence.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|date=2015-06-05|title=Communal Violence in Madras A Portent|url=https://www.epw.in/journal/1990/38/roots-specials/communal-violence-madras-portent.html|journal=Economic and Political Weekly|language=en|volume=25|issue=38|pages=7–8}}</ref>

=== Religious procession ===
On 2 September, a week before [[Ganesh Chaturthi]], the Vinayaka Chathurthi Festival Committee organised a ritual parade of the [[Ganesha|Vinayaka]] idols through the streets of Triplicane before being immersed in the sea. The parade had been heavily publicized with posters placed conspicuously in and around Triplicane and around the city. The most prominent person in the posters was the leader of [[Hindu Munnani]], Rama Gopalan. Rama Gopalan was the lead speaker at the rally.<ref name=":0" />

A week before the parade, an organisation named Hindu Sangam pasted posters calling for the prime minister's declaration of a national holiday on the birthday of [[Muhammad]] to be repealed.<ref name=":0" /> The Hindu Munnani also resented this move by the government.<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal|last=Engineer|first=Asghar Ali|date=1990|title=Communal Riots in Recent Months|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/4396833|journal=Economic and Political Weekly|volume=25|issue=40|pages=2234–2236|jstor=4396833|issn=0012-9976}}</ref>

== Riots ==
{{Rquote|right|four and four eight,
chop the Muslim on sight|Slogan from the procession|<ref name=":1" />}}
On 2 September, the parade arrived at a busy intersection and came to a standstill in front of the [[Ice house mosque]]. Marwari youth were present in large numbers and reportedly funded the parade.<ref name=":1" /> Fire-crackers were exploded, Nadaswaram and drums were played with some playing the nadaswaram at high pitch.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":0" /> The processionists shouted [[anti-Muslim]] slogans.<ref name=":1" /> The Hindu Sangham distributed leaflets that denounced Muhammad during the parade. The Muslims protested the disruption of their prayers at prayer time in the mosque and gathered outside their mosque. Fire crackers were reportedly thrown into the mosque by the processionists. Newspapers reported that a slipper was thrown from inside the mosque at the procession. The Muslims and the processionists attacked each other. The police intervened and allowed the parade to the sea, and the situation was soon resolved.<ref name=":0" />

A section of the processionists returned to the same area and the clashes between both the communities continued. The police opened fire without ample warning which killed a Muslim youngster. Violence against Muslim properties and houses were continued by youth who were specifically recruited for the violence from the slums close by. The next day, hired criminals entered inside a mosque and stabbed a Muslim. Most shops were shut and people rarely came out of their homes.<ref name=":0" />

== Casualties and damages ==
Three Muslims were reported to the killed in the riots.<ref name=":0" /> Unofficial reports placed the number to five or six. Many large Muslim-owned stores were robbed and torched.<ref name=":1" />

== Aftermath ==
In 2000, Rama Gopalan, the state president of the Hindu Munnani, again attempted to conduct the parade through the Ice House mosque rather than following the police-ordered diversion. He and his supporters were detained.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Fuller|first=C. J.|date=2001|title=The 'Vinayaka Chaturthi' Festival and Hindutva in Tamil Nadu|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/4410605|journal=Economic and Political Weekly|volume=36|issue=19|pages=1607–1616|jstor=4410605|issn=0012-9976}}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{coord missing|Tamil Nadu}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Madras riots, 1990}}
[[Category:Anti-Muslim riots in India]]
[[Category:1990 crimes in India]]
[[Category:1990 riots]]
[[Category:Hinduism-motivated violence in India]]
[[Category:September 1990 in India]]
[[Category:September 1990 crimes]]
[[Category:Attacks on buildings and structures in 1990]]
[[Category:Attacks on shops in India]]
[[Category:Looting in India]]
[[Category:Mosque arson in India]]
[[Category:Arson in 1990]]
[[Category:1990 fires in Asia]]
[[Category:Fireworks accidents and incidents in India]]
[[Category:1990 in Islam]]
[[Category:1990s in Chennai]]
[[Category:Riots and civil disorder in Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Parades in India]]
[[Category:Attacks on mosques in the 1990s]]
[[Category:Commercial building fires in India]]

1990 Madras riots - Revision history

IODChanel59686 at 16:10, 1 April 2026