Thousands of Indians have been protesting for months against a controversial law they say discriminates against Muslims.

But the tension around the Citizenship Amendment Act has taken a dangerous turn. The capital New Delhi has seen days of violence between communities, considered some of the worst in decades.

Hindu crowds have been accused of attacking Muslims on the streets. Dozens of people were killed in three days of confrontations that started on Monday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called for calm.  His government has been under pressure since it passed the law that provides citizenship to immigrants from neighboring countries, but excludes Muslims.

Modi's critics accuse him of using a set of anti-Muslim measures to steer the country towards becoming a nationalist Hindu state.  So, with the ongoing violence, could the government consider withdrawing the law?

Presenter: Adrian Finighan

Guests:

Karuna Nundy, an advocate at the Supreme Court of India and a human rights lawyer.
Meenakshi Ganguly, South Asia Director at Human Rights Watch.
Shruti Kapila, Indian Historian and Lecturer in History at University of Cambridge.