IAMC Weekly India Human Rights Monitor (May 16, 2025)
This Week at a Glance
India faces global outrage after reportedly dumping 43 Rohingya refugees—including children—into the sea near Myanmar, just days after assuring the Supreme Court of lawful deportations. A civil rights group has documented 184 anti-Muslim hate crimes across India since the Pahalgam attack, and two Muslim men were lynched this week alone. Attacks on Christians also spiked, with 245 incidents in just three months. In tandem with the rising violence, the mainstream media has come under fire for flooding channels with inflammatory fake news. Amid rising hate, the Supreme Court ordered support for a Muslim child assaulted in school, and a BJP minister faced legal action for a communal slur against a Muslim army officer. On the US front, IAMC hosted a week-long series of events on the various harms of Hindutva, including its influence in the tech sphere and its alliances with the far right.
Top Stories
India Accused of Dumping 43 Rohingya Refugees, Including Children, Into Sea Near Myanmar
43 refugees—including minors, the elderly, and the ill—were allegedly blindfolded, tied up, and thrown from naval vessels into international waters on May 8. The atrocity occurred just as India assured its Supreme Court that deportations would follow legal procedures.
184 Anti-Muslim Hate Crimes Reported Across India After Pahalgam Attack: Civil Rights Group
Between April 22 and May 8, the Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR) documented 84 hate speeches, 39 assaults, 19 acts of vandalism, and 3 lynchings targeting Muslims and Kashmiris.
Muslim men lynched, assaulted across India
In Bihar, a mob of 50 Hindu extremists lynched Zakir Qureshi and left his brother Nihal in serious condition. In Jharkhand, 22-year-old Abdul Kalam, a mental ill Muslim youth, was also lynched.
Anti-Muslim disinformation globally
A new report from the Center for the Study of Organized Hate exposes how global far-right networks used X to spark anti-Muslim panic through disinformation. Meanwhile, Indian news channels have amplified over 70 fake news items in wake of the Pahalgam attack.
India sees 245 attacks on Christians in just 3 months, says United Christian Forum
A new report by the United Christian Forum reveals a disturbing trend of nearly two attacks per day on Christians across 19 Indian states between January and April 2025.
Hate crimes and discrimination in India
This week, an elderly Muslim farmer was assaulted and forced to chant Hindu slogans in Uttar Pradesh, a Muslim man was stripped and paraded, and Gujarat officials demolished a madrasa citing national security concerns. Read more here.
Resistance & Organizing
Supreme Court Directs Government to Fund Education of Muslim Boy Slapped in School
The Supreme Court reaffirmed that the Uttar Pradesh government must cover all school-related expenses of the child until he completes his education, including tuition, uniforms, books, and transport. The directive comes in response to a plea after a 2023 viral video showed a teacher instructing classmates to slap the boy while making anti-Muslim comments.
Court Orders Complaint Against BJP Minister for Communal Remark on Army Officer
BJP minister Kunwar Vijay Shah faces legal action after calling Colonel Sofia Qureshi a “sister of terrorists” in a communal slur that sparked nationwide outrage. The minister has since issued a public apology as calls grow for his dismissal.
Defender of the Week
This week, we’re spotlighting Rejaz M. Sydeek, a 26-year-old student activist and independent journalist from Kerala, who has been at the forefront of documenting caste injustice and state repression. His arrest in Nagpur over posts allegedly critical of India’s Operation Sindoor has since escalated into serious charges under the draconian Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. His detention and the seizure of books and personal devices has drawn condemnations and protests.
Voices from the Ground
“Over 15 coffins were lowered into the ground including that of a 12-year-old child, yet there was no word of condolence, no acknowledgment, no empathy. Are the lives on the border invisible? Do the cries from Poonch, Rajouri, and Uri not reach the corridors of power?
The silence is deafening. It sends a chilling message, that some lives matter more than others. That the pain of the people in border areas is politically inconvenient. But let it be known; Poonch, Rajouri, and Uri bleed. And Poonch, Rajouri, and Uri remember. We will not allow these sacrifices to be erased or ignored. Every life matters. Every tear counts. And history will remember not only those who died, but also those who chose silence in the face of their suffering.”
National Convenor, J&K Students Association
IAMC in Action
- This week, IAMC has held a series of educational events across the Bay Area, including Stanford, San Francisco State University, UC Santa Cruz, West Valley Muslim Association (WVMA), and Muslim Community Center (MCC) East Bay. Topics included Hindutva and the Global Far Right, Hindutva in Tech, and the Cost of Being Muslim in India. You can rewatch our talk with WVMA here.
- We’re continuing to catalogue daily hate crimes against Muslims and other minorities in India on our social media. Follow us on X and Instagram to keep up to date on the situation.
What to Watch Next Week
- Amnesty International is holding its US Board of Directors Election through May 30. Voting is a way to make your voice heard in the shaping of Amnesty’s US activities. Get to know the candidates here.
- IAMC’s newest multimedia project, the Indian Muslim Story, is an exploration of Indian Muslim heritage, identity, and current issues. We release new articles each week, so be sure to follow us on Instagram for accompanying graphics and videos.
