Religious Tensions
Despite Kerala having a reputation of being one of the most tolerant states of India, there have been religious conflicts. In the Mappila riots of 1921, Muslim Mappilas forcibly converted many Hindus and killed or drove away all Hindus who would not apostatise, totaling to 100,000. The worst since 1980 was the Marad massacre in Kozhikode district in 2003, where eight Hindus were killed by an armed Muslim mob. The 1992 Ayodhya-Babri Masjid incident also had repercussions in Kerala. In 1983 there was an incident in Nilackal near Sabarimala over discovery of a Cross. However during Nilackal incident no major violence was reported. Lately however various extreme religious groups have become influential in Kerala. In 2008 there was tension in streets of Kerala over introduction of a seventh standard textbook. The controversy was about a chapter in the book Mathamillaatha Jeevan (Jeevan, without caste). Jeevan refused to belong to any religion or caste. Various groups alleged that this book was atheistic anti-religious propaganda by ruling Left Front government.
Read more about this topic: Religion In Kerala
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