WASHINGTON: The Washington-based Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) has said that India has been witnessing a distressing surge in communal violence, targeted attacks, and hate speeches directed against religious minorities, particularly Muslims and Christians.
The third quarter report (July-September) the IAMC said violence was exacerbating an atmosphere of persecution and discrimination faced by minority groups. It pointed out that violent cow vigilantism targeting Muslims has considerably increased as self-proclaimed cow protectors continue to engage in targeted attacks, ostensibly in the name of preventing beef consumption and cattle transportation.
Religious minorities in India facing targeted attacks: Says IAMC report https://t.co/2dPpw9zv0I pic.twitter.com/xoHRu7A9YT
— KashmirMedia Service (@kmskashmirnews) October 14, 2023
Additionally, there was a notable uptick in the illegal demolition of Muslim homes and targeting of religious structures, resulting in the displacement of entire communities, particularly in regions of Manipur and Haryana. These incidents are deeply troubling and require immediate attention, the report said.
The report by IAMC, the largest advocacy organisation of Indian Muslim diaspora in the US, said during the third quarter of 2023, Muslims and Christians remained particularly vulnerable to violent incidents, persecution and discrimination. The escalating violence and intolerance have sounded a resounding alarm among human rights organisations, it said.
The report said in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir human rights violations persisted unchecked. It highlighted widespread abuses targeting journalists, political activists, and the local population.
“Effective action is crucial not only for safeguarding democracy but also for promoting tolerance and upholding human rights within India,” it said.
The IAMC report cited a research paper prepared by the US-based journalist Raqib Hameed Naik, scholar Abhyudaya Tyagi and Paris-based journalist Aarushi Srivastava, documenting all verified instances of hate speech events organised by Hindu far-right groups against India’s Muslim minorities in the first half of 2023.
The report revealed that in the first 181 days of 2023, there were 255 recorded instances of hate speech gatherings targeting Muslims across 17 regions, including Delhi and occupied Jammu and Kashmir. “This alarming statistic highlights an average of over one hate speech event occurring daily. Overwhelmingly, 80% of these hate speech events occurred in BJP-ruled states and union territories. Maharashtra, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Gujarat witnessed the highest number of hate speech gatherings, with Maharashtra alone accounting for 29% of such incidents, while seven out of the top eight states with the highest number of hate speech events are governed by the BJP and its coalition partners. Around 42% of all hate speech gatherings were organised by RSS-affiliated groups,” it said.
The report found that 51% of all the hate speech gatherings featured anti-Muslim conspiracy theories such as “love jihad,” “land jihad,” “mazar jihad,” “halal jihad,” and others.
The IAMC report also shed light on persecution of the Christian community. It enumerated several attacks on Christians across the country including an incident involving Alexander Coates Reed, the principal of DY Patil High School in Talegaon in Maharashtra state.
In view of the sustained attacks on religious minorities, IAMC urged the Indian government to prioritise enacting and enforcing robust legislation that specifically protects their rights. This legislation should address hate speech, communal violence, and targeted attacks, holding perpetrators accountable for their actions. It should also guarantee the right to freedom of religion, ensuring that individuals can practice their faith without fear of persecution or coercion.
