13th June, Monday, federal minister senator Sherry Rehman strongly condemns the state orders of UP CM to demolish homes of Muslim protesters, “India has continued to show hate-mongering towards Muslim. The BJP leaders have made their sentiments for Muslims very clear. The hateful comments toward the Prophet SAW have shocked the entire Muslim world. It is an insult of the greatest order and has saddened the whole nation, which includes peace-loving non-muslims. The Muslims in India have demanded the arrest of the BJP leaders who uttered such words against the Prophet, however even though India touts itself as a truly democratic state, the Muslim protestors are now facing demolition notices. Many houses in India’s Uttar Pradesh state have been demolished under the CM’s order for those accused of involvement in riots triggered by derogatory remarks made by the BJP party figures. This doesn’t end here, hundreds of Muslims were arrested, and two killed during the protests, the Modi regime has shown to the world that it continues to violate the human rights laws with no remorse.”
She expressed her concern for Muslims in India,” These incidents have been ongoing for a while. At the beginning of April 2022 more than 40 properties of the Muslim community in India were set ablaze and vandalized by BJP-RSS during a motorcycle rally. During another Hindu festival, many houses and shops owned by Muslims were set on fire. The alarming apathy of state machinery as it continues to ignore the mistreatment of Muslims cannot continue. The Foreign Minister has reached out to the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) on Sunday to discuss the rising islamophobia in India as it needs to be addressed as a collective. The sacrilegious remarks and the ill-treatment of Muslims that has been largely ignored by the Modi government cannot go on any longer. These are our Muslim brothers and sisters who continue to feel Otherised in their own country and it is simply unacceptable.”
Focusing on India’s treatment of Muslims in IIOJK (illegally occupied Jammu & Kashmir) she said, “India has persistently violated the rights of Kashmiris in Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, on Monday 13th June four more Kashmiri youth were killed by Indian forces. These innocent youth were brutally murdered in Pulwama and Srinagar districts during cordon-and-search operations yesterday. This is cold-blooded murder and unacceptable. More than 600 kashmiris have been martyred by the Indian occupation forces, this is an open human rights violation right before our eyes. Such incidents aren’t isolated but come from a strong anti-muslim sentiment; at the end of April 2022, Indian Higher Education Authorities also issued an advisory warning Indian Nationals to not enroll in any college or educational institute in Pakistan. Those who do so will not be eligible for employment or further education in India. This put Kashmiris studying in Pakistan or planning their studies at an obvious disadvantage. This is a violation of International Law and criminalizes and colonizes education to instill a sense of inferiority within Kashmiris. On another occasion, the Modi government released a list of redrawn electoral constituencies in Indian-occupied Kashmir which enraged the Kashmiris of the region. Ignoring the rights of Kashmiris goes to show how comfortable the Indian government is in its intolerance towards the marginalized.”
She concluded, “the OIC, UN, and all human rights organizations must shift their attention towards Modi’s fascist government. India has become an Islamophobic country where Muslims are not even allowed to breathe freely. It is unimaginable to live in continued fear for one’s life over one’s beliefs and be systematically stigmatized, marginalized, and subjected to violence on a daily basis. India needs to be stopped and the world must come together to do so.”