Hindu Extremists Attack Mosques, Muslim Homes Across India’s Tripura State
The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) condemns targeted violence by Hindu extremist mobs on mosques and homes of Muslims across the state of Tripura as retaliation for the violence of the past few days in Bangladesh.
Extremist mobs wearing saffron, the color of Hindu religion, and carrying swords raised anti-Muslim slogans during protests organized by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Hindu Jagran Manch, Bajrang Dal, and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
These organizations are internationally infamous for their rabid bigotry against India’s religious minorities, Christians and Muslims. It is shocking that the Tripura government failed to provide security to the mosques and prevent arson there.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which runs the Tripura government, is the party of India’s Rightwing Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The BJP is an offshoot of the RSS, which wants to convert India into a Hindu nation with second-class status for Christians and Muslims.
At BJP Public Meeting, Hindu Religious Leader Calls for Beheading Christians, Muslims
It is shocking that a Hindu religious “saint” has openly called to behead Christians and Muslims and yet has faced no consequences from the government.
The highly condemnable speech from Swami Parmatmanand, which was delivered earlier this month and has been reported now, was made at a massive rally led by leaders of the Hindu rightwing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Chhattisgarh.
“Behead those who come for conversion,” Parmatmanand told hundreds at the rally, asking them to stock up on axes and machetes. The RSS-led India’s Hindu extremist networks have ratcheted up violence and hate speech against Christians and Muslims in recent months. IAMC urges the Chhattisgarh government to immediately arrest Parmatmanand for incitement to violence.
Hindu Rightwing Mob Terrorizing Muslims Peacefully Offering Namaz In Haryana
The IAMC condemns Hindu rightwing mobs that have been for weeks terrorizing a few Muslims who offer namaz (Islamic prayers) without disturbing public peace. Muslims offering namaz outdoors is a centuries’ old phenomenon, just as Hindus celebrating their festivals outdoors and in public spaces is.
But for several weeks, Hindu rightwing mobs have been surrounding and threatening Muslims offering prayers in Sector 47 of Gurgaon, a satellite town near the Indian capital of New Delhi.
This unacceptable behavior sadly reflects the extreme radicalization of sections of India’s Hindus who are increasingly turning into vigilante mobs attacking Muslims and Christians as well as their places of worship across India. IAMC calls upon the United States Government to raise with the Indian government the issue of ongoing violence and hate speech directed at religious minorities in India.
