Hindu supremacists infiltrate historic mosque, shout Hindu slogan-turned-warcry
Two Hindu supremacists were arrested after infiltrating the 17th century Makkah Masjid in Telangana state and shouting “Jai Shree Ram,” or “Glory to Lord Ram.”
The slogan has been used as a warcry by Hindu militants during violent attacks against Muslims, including mob lynchings, riots, and cow vigilante cases.
The incident has led to increased security in the mosque.
Mosques across India have been the target of Hindu extremist attacks, including through arson, planting saffron flags on domes, breaking windows, desecrating religious texts, and physically assaulting worshippers.
Christian groups slam anti-conversion laws in open letter to Modi
In an open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, prominent Christian groups in India have slammed rising anti-Christian hatred brought on by unconstitutional laws criminalizing religious conversion and interfaith marriage.
The letter was written by A.C. Michael, president of the Federation of Catholic Associations of Archdiocese of Delhi (FCAAD) and national coordinator of the United Christian Forum, on behalf of both groups.
“The Anti-Conversion bill goes against the very spirit of Article 25 and in many such states, Christian community members are being harassed and imprisoned on false and fabricated charges of conversion,” Michael wrote.
“Today, many of our schools and colleges are under attack and have had to face violent mob attacks, stone pelting and heavy property damage,” he added. “Principals and teachers are being accused of forced conversions, morning assemblies are being disrupted and education policies are undermining autonomy.”
Michael also criticized the ongoing discrimination against Dalits, formerly known as Untouchables, who are excluded from reservations if they convert to Christianity or Islam.
After Muslims, Christians are the second most targeted minority group in India, facing violent attacks on churches, congregations, private homes, and gatherings over allegations of “forcibly converting” Hindus to Christianity.
Hindu religious leaders worried by anti-Muslim hatred, but silenced by fear
As anti-Muslim hatred and dehumanization increases among Indian Hindus, Hindu religious leaders have grown concerned for the state of Indian pluralism, US-based organization Hindus for Human Rights (HfHR) has said.
In an interview with The Wire, an Indian news portal, HfHR deputy executive director Nikhil Mandalaparthy stated that the organization was worried by the “pervasive resentment” and dehumanization against Muslims during their recent campaign to seek out tolerant Hindu religious leaders across nine Indian states.
“We encountered a pervasive sense of victimhood or resentment among Indian Hindus deeply intertwined with hatred towards India’s Muslim minority,” said Mandalaparthy. “We saw the extent to which Indian Muslims have been dehumanized in the minds of many Indian Hindus and their religious leaders.”
He added that while the majority of Hindu religious leaders HfHR met with in India were concerned about rising hatred, many of them remain “in a cage of fear” due to the threat of violence from Hindu militant groups.
“[There is a] pervasive sense of fear among the religious leaders (we) met, some of whom have faced violence from Hindu nationalists,” Mandalaparthy added. “Their ashrams and temples have been vandalized and attacked.”
