Hyderabad, June 28 -- In early May, West Bengal's first Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Chief Minister made his intentions plain. "The Hindu people of Nandigram made me win again. There, the entire Muslim vote went to TMC. I will work for the Hindus of Nandigram," Suvendu Adhikari told the media, a statement blunt even by the current standards of Indian political discourse.

Adhikari became the first right-wing leader to head the state, ending the powerful Mamata Banerjee and Trinamool Congress's 15-year rule. His victory also triggered a wave of violence. And it arrived at the start of a month in which 72 hate crimes were recorded against minority and marginalised communities.

Muslims recorded the highest number at 63. Five hate crimes wer...