Clarion India
NEW DELHI – Reacting to the recent wave of anti-Muslim violence in the country, Pakistan called upon the international community to hold the India accountable “for its gross and widespread human rights violations”. The foreign office of neighbouring country took exception to the targeted attacks against Muslims by “fanatic Hindu mobs” in various parts of the country.
Citing the example of the violence that broke out in Jahangirpuri area of northwest Delhi in the wake of Hanuman Jayanti, the foreign office, in a statement issued to the media, pointed out how attempts were made by a Hindu procession to hoist saffron flag atop a local mosque amid derogatory sloganeering and provocative music while brandishing weapons while Muslims were waiting to break their fast. They said it revealed the “gravity of the state-sanctioned hysteria and hatred in India against Muslims”.
“This incident has re-kindled the horrific memories of the Delhi pogrom of February 2020, which was aimed to discriminate, dispossess and dehumanise the Muslim community,” said the neighbouring country.
The religious clashes broken out between Hindus and Muslims during religious processions in several parts of the country came under sharp scrutiny of the neighbouring country’s foreign office. The riots occurred in the wake of Ram Navami, which spread across many Indian states, the foreign office said spotlighted the country’s “precipitous slide … into a ‘Hindu Rashtra’”.
“Harrowing scenes of demolition of houses, businesses and shops belonging to Muslims and the vandalisation of mosques by local authorities in Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat reveal the deep penetration of Hindutva ideology into the fabric of Indian state and society,” observed the foreign office.
They saw a trend in India of using Hindu religious processions to fan communal hatred and instigate anti-Muslim violence.
“Even more alarming is the fact that the local authorities that were evidently complicit in the fear-mongering have launched a concerted campaign against the Muslims on the pretext of a crackdown against ‘alleged rioters’,” the FO added.
Pakistan, they said made an appeal to the Indian government to investigate the incidents that led to the widespread violence and intimidation against Muslims transparently and prevent the recurrence of such incidents. It called upon India to initiate demonstrable efforts to protect places of worship of Muslims.
Pakistan also called upon the international community, particularly the United Nations and relevant international human rights and humanitarian organisations to question India and hold it accountable for repeated violations of human rights in the country.