Derogatory Islamophobic Statements Made by BJP Officials Disrespectful to India’s 200 Million Muslim Minorities |
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June 7th, 2022
India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), led by Narendra Modi, is continuing to prove its discriminatory anti-Muslim agenda.
On May 27th, BJP national spokesperson Nupur Sharma made derogatory comments about Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). The slanderous remarks were made in a debate about Gyanvapi Mosque, where a fountain in the wudu (ablution) area is now being claimed by militant Hindutva* groups as a shivling (Hindu diety’s phallic statue). Remarks were also made by Naveen Kumar Jindal, head of BJP Delhi Media Operation.
After global protest, the BJP government eventually suspended Sharma and expelled Jindal from their party. The BJP cited them as “fringe elements”, even though they held high positions, communicating internal policies and speaking for the governing party to the public.
In accordance with Indian religious harmony laws, Justice For All Canada demands that Sharma and Jindal are charged. “BJP leaders using abusive language against Islam and Muslim Prophets is deeply insulting to Indian Muslims. It’s another example of abusive Islamophobic language used by Indian officials to demonize minorities and legitimize discriminatory laws against them,” said Executive Director Taha Ghayyur.
In recent years, nationalist Hindu groups aligned with the Modi government have escalated an orchestrated campaign of hate and violence against Muslim minority communities in India. This escalation is fueled by hate speeches made by government leaders and religious figures aligned with the BJP regime. For example, religious leader Yati Narsinghanand recently called for genocide and mass violence against Indian Muslims. Narsinghanand also made derogatory speeches against Islamic Prophets. Indian police frequently side with attackers, emboldening mobs to carry out deadly attacks against Muslims with impunity.
After hurting religious sentiments through their inflammatory statements, Indian Muslims called for a protest after Friday prayers in Uttar Pradesh’s Kanpur city. Violence broke out between Hindutva mobs and Muslim groups. Indian police registered three first information reports (FIRs) against more than 1,000 people. Of this number, 55 now accused are all Muslims. No one from the Hindutva mobs was arrested. Senior police officials have also planned to seize and demolish properties of the Muslim protestors arrested. This pattern is now standard across India: several Muslim-owned homes and shops have been targeted and torn down following communal riots. Social media reveals distressing images of bulldozers breaking down neighbourhoods as Muslim families watch and weep.
Such human rights violations have become a sadistic trend carried out by Indian authorities against Muslims. Mobs aligned with the BJP instigate Muslims and persecute them with threats and violence. When Muslims resist, authorities step in with state-sanctioned persecution, now using bulldozers to destroy their properties.
According to Human Rights Watch and Amnesty, the BJP government is systemically stripping constitutional religious freedoms and equalities from Muslims in India. Indian laws under Section 295 A of the Indian penal code define attacks on religious sentiment as a punishable crime. Justice For All Canada calls on the Indian government to follow its own laws and charge Sharma and Jindal with instigating religious disharmony.
*Hindutva refers to the right-wing, nationalist ideology underpinning the BJP-led government of India. It is different from, and should not be confused with, Hinduism the faith.
India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), led by Narendra Modi, is continuing to prove its discriminatory anti-Muslim agenda.
On May 27th, BJP national spokesperson Nupur Sharma made derogatory comments about Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). The slanderous remarks were made in a debate about Gyanvapi Mosque, where a fountain in the wudu (ablution) area is now being claimed by militant Hindutva* groups as a shivling (Hindu diety’s phallic statue). Remarks were also made by Naveen Kumar Jindal, head of BJP Delhi Media Operation.
After global protest, the BJP government eventually suspended Sharma and expelled Jindal from their party. The BJP cited them as “fringe elements”, even though they held high positions, communicating internal policies and speaking for the governing party to the public.
In accordance with Indian religious harmony laws, Justice For All Canada demands that Sharma and Jindal are charged. “BJP leaders using abusive language against Islam and Muslim Prophets is deeply insulting to Indian Muslims. It’s another example of abusive Islamophobic language used by Indian officials to demonize minorities and legitimize discriminatory laws against them,” said Executive Director Taha Ghayyur.
In recent years, nationalist Hindu groups aligned with the Modi government have escalated an orchestrated campaign of hate and violence against Muslim minority communities in India. This escalation is fueled by hate speeches made by government leaders and religious figures aligned with the BJP regime. For example, religious leader Yati Narsinghanand recently called for genocide and mass violence against Indian Muslims. Narsinghanand also made derogatory speeches against Islamic Prophets. Indian police frequently side with attackers, emboldening mobs to carry out deadly attacks against Muslims with impunity.
After hurting religious sentiments through their inflammatory statements, Indian Muslims called for a protest after Friday prayers in Uttar Pradesh’s Kanpur city. Violence broke out between Hindutva mobs and Muslim groups. Indian police registered three first information reports (FIRs) against more than 1,000 people. Of this number, 55 now accused are all Muslims. No one from the Hindutva mobs was arrested. Senior police officials have also planned to seize and demolish properties of the Muslim protestors arrested. This pattern is now standard across India: several Muslim-owned homes and shops have been targeted and torn down following communal riots. Social media reveals distressing images of bulldozers breaking down neighbourhoods as Muslim families watch and weep.
Such human rights violations have become a sadistic trend carried out by Indian authorities against Muslims. Mobs aligned with the BJP instigate Muslims and persecute them with threats and violence. When Muslims resist, authorities step in with state-sanctioned persecution, now using bulldozers to destroy their properties.
According to Human Rights Watch and Amnesty, the BJP government is systemically stripping constitutional religious freedoms and equalities from Muslims in India. Indian laws under Section 295 A of the Indian penal code define attacks on religious sentiment as a punishable crime. Justice For All Canada calls on the Indian government to follow its own laws and charge Sharma and Jindal with instigating religious disharmony.
*Hindutva refers to the right-wing, nationalist ideology underpinning the BJP-led government of India. It is different from, and should not be confused with, Hinduism the faith.