The group’s report urged the government to prioritise the creation and enforcement of comprehensive legislation aimed at safeguarding the rights of religious minorities
Team Clarion
NEW DELHI — Pointing out in its report that violence and persecution of minorities continued in India since the beginning of Narendra Modi’s third term as prime minister in June this year, the Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) has urged the international community to pressure the government led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to curb anti-Muslim violence and hate speeches.
In its report titled “Persecution of Religious Minorities in India (May-August 2024)” released on Monday, the Washington-based civil rights group sheds light on the weaponisation of anti-minority hate speech and propaganda by the BJP to polarise voters. In addition to controlling the mainstream media, the Modi regime abused government agencies to jail opposition leaders, suppress Muslim voters, and make anti-Muslim hate speeches in clear violation of Indian election laws, which prohibits communal speeches as a means to win votes.
The report asserted that violence and persecution against religious minorities, particularly Muslims and Christians, continued through the second quarter of 2024.
“The elections have been criticised for not being free and fair by critics. In addition to controlling the mainstream media, the Modi regime abused government agencies to jail opposition leaders, freeze the Congress Party’s bank accounts, and suppress Muslim voters. Modi and BJP candidates regularly made anti-Muslim hate speeches in clear violation of election laws, which prohibits communal speeches as a means to win votes,” noted the report.
The IAMC highlighted that at the polls, Muslims reported facing voter suppression in the form of violence, intimidation, and manipulation of voter registries. During and after elections, violence against minorities continued at both individual and structural levels. The weeks immediately after the beginning of Modi’s third term saw a series of mob lynching of Muslims across the country. There were also cases of punitive demolitions, discriminatory policies, arbitrary detentions, online censorship, and police brutality.
“The state also failed to curb cow vigilantism, other forms of routine anti-minority violence, hate speech, as well as housing, economic and educational discrimination. Government bodies and human rights groups continued to criticise democratic backsliding and treatment of minorities, including Rohingya refugees,” the report said.
The report urged the government to prioritise the creation and enforcement of comprehensive legislation aimed at safeguarding the rights of religious minorities.
“Such laws should explicitly address hate speech, communal violence, and targeted attacks, ensuring that those responsible are held to account. Additionally, the legislation should affirm the right to freedom of religion, allowing individuals to practice their faith without fear of persecution or coercion. By enhancing legal protections, the government can send a decisive message that any form of discrimination or violence against religious minorities is unacceptable.
It recommended establishing independent oversight bodies to effectively tackle human rights violations and ensure unbiased investigations, passing an anti-lynching bill and revoking the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
“These bodies should be tasked with monitoring and reporting instances of abuse and discrimination against religious minorities, with the authority to conduct thorough investigations, prosecute offenders, and recommend preventative measures. This approach will demonstrate the government’s dedication to upholding human rights and will help restore trust within religious minority communities,” it said.