June 28, 2024
CAIR Welcomes U.S. Report Highlighting Violence Against Muslims, Christians & Religious Minorities in India
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today welcomed a State Department report highlighting violence targeting religious minorities in India. CAIR also repeated its call for the State Department to designate India as a country of particular concern.
The State Department’s 2023 religious freedom report on India noted violent attacks on minority groups, especially Muslims and Christians, including killings, assaults and vandalism of houses of worship.
In a statement, CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw said:
“We welcome this report that once again brings attention to the continuing and escalating government-enabled violence targeting Muslims, Christians and other religious minorities in India. We urge the State Department to take action and designate India a country of particular concern.”
He noted that CAIR has previously called on the State Department to designate India a country of particular concern.
US religious freedom report notes violence against Indian minorities
Kanishka Singh and Simon Lewis
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. State Department's 2023 religious freedom report on India noted violent attacks on minority groups, especially Muslims and Christians, including killings, assaults and vandalism of houses of worship.
The report on international religious freedom released on Wednesday said that in 2023, senior U.S. officials continued to "raise concerns about religious freedom issues" with their Indian counterparts.
Human rights experts say India has seen a rise in attacks on minorities under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who recently won a third term, and his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
"In India, we see a concerning increase in anti-conversion laws, hate speech, demolitions of homes and places of worship for members of minority faith communities," U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said when the report was released, in a rare direct rebuke of India.
Criticism of India by the U.S. is usually restrained due to close economic ties and New Delhi's importance for Washington to counter China, political analysts say.
The U.S. report listed dozens of incidents. Among them was a fatal shooting of a security official and three Muslims on a train near Mumbai by a suspect who was a railway security official. A probe by Indian authorities into that case is ongoing and the suspect was in jail, according to the Indian Express newspaper.
The report cited examples of attacks against Muslims based on allegations that Muslim men were participating in the slaughter of cows or beef trading……..
https://ca.news.yahoo.com/us-religious-freedom-report-notes-210751683.html
Key Findings of the U. S. Report
In 2023, religious freedom conditions in India continued to deteriorate. The government, led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), reinforced discriminatory nationalist policies, perpetuated hateful rhetoric, and failed to address communal violence disproportionately affecting Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Dalits, Jews, and Adivasis (indigenous peoples).
Continued enforcement of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), and anti-conversion and cow slaughter laws resulted in the arbitrary detention, monitoring, and targeting of religious minorities and those advocating on their behalf. Both news media and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) reporting on religious minorities were subjected to strict monitoring under FCRA regulations.
In February 2023, India’s Ministry of Home Affairs suspended the FCRA license of the Centre for Policy Research, an NGO dedicated to reporting on social issues and state capacity, including discrimination against religious and ethnic minorities.
Similarly, authorities raided the offices and homes of NewsClick journalists, including Teesta Setalvad for her reporting on anti-Muslim violence during the 2002 Gujarat riots. In 2023, NGOs reported 687 incidents of violence against Christians, who continued to be detained under various state-level anti-conversion laws. In January, Hindu mobs attacked Christians in Chhattisgarh in eastern India, destroying and vandalizing churches and attempting to “reconvert” individuals to Hinduism.
An estimated 30 people were beaten for refusing to renounce their faith. The same month, two Christians were detained without bail, accused of forcibly converting individuals of Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes. In June 2023, more than 500 churches and two synagogues were destroyed and over 70,000 people displaced during clashes in Manipur State.
Home Minister Amit Shah received widespread criticism, including by United Nations (UN) experts, for his delayed response to the violence. Similarly, Prime Minister Narendra Modi faced a vote of no confidence for his administration’s lack of response to the ongoing conflict.
In August, India’s Supreme Court called for an investigation of the violence, arguing that police had “lost control over the situation.” In December, the Indian Supreme Court upheld the government’s 2019 revocation of Article 370, dissolving special status and autonomy to the Muslim-majority state of Jammu and Kashmir. Indian authorities continued to detain and harass Kashmiri journalists, religious leaders, and human rights defenders.
Journalist Irfan Mehraj was arrested in March for his reporting on marginalized religious minorities. Throughout the year, violence against Muslims and their places of worship continued.
Several mosques were destroyed under police presence and vigilantes attacked Muslims under the guise of protecting cows from slaughter, deemed illegal in 18 states. In Haryana’s predominantly Muslim Nuh district, communal violence erupted following a Hindu procession in July, where participants carrying swords chanted anti-Muslim slogans.
A Muslim tomb and mosque were torched, resulting in the death of at least seven individuals, including Imam Mohammad Hafiz. The violence was in part initiated by “Monu Manesar,” a well-known cow vigilante accused of murdering two Muslim men in January for allegedly transporting cattle. Manesar, who has garnered support from the BJP, publicly called for individuals to participate in the Hindu procession. The same day, an Indian railway guard killed three Muslim men inside a train to Mumbai. The perpetrator reportedly asked the victims their names, which indicated their religious identity, before killing them. Indian authorities also increasingly engaged in acts of transnational repression targeting religious minorities abroad. In September, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged Indian authorities’ involvement in the killing of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada, which was followed by a plot to kill Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in the United States in November.
Key Recommendations to US administration
Designate India as a “country of particular concern,” or CPC, for engaging in systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom, as defined by the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA);
■ Impose targeted sanctions on individuals and entities responsible for severe violations of religious freedom by freezing those individuals’ assets and/or barring their entry into the United States under human rights-related financial and visa authorities, citing specific religious freedom violations;
■ Incorporate religious freedom priorities into bilateral and multilateral forums and agreements, such as the ministerial of the Quadrilateral;
■ Encourage the U.S. Embassy and consulates to strengthen engagement with religious communities, local officials, and law enforcement and to facilitate meetings with prisoners of conscience and human rights defenders; and
■ Encourage review by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) to ensure that international recommendations to prevent terrorist financing are not misused by Indian authorities to detain religious minorities and those advocating on their behalf. The U.S. Congress should:
■ Raise religious freedom and issues affecting religious minorities in India through hearings, briefings, letters, delegations, and other activities; and
■ Condition financial assistance and arms sales to India on improved religious freedom conditions and include measures for additional review and reporting.
Background
India is the world’s most populated country, with an estimated 1.4 billion people. The majority of its population is Hindu (79.8 percent) with minority Muslim (14.2 percent), Christian (2.3 percent), and Sikh (1.7 percent) communities.
Smaller religious groups include Buddhists, Jains, Baha’is, Zoroastrians (Parsis), and an estimated 6,000 Jews. India’s constitution establishes a secular and democratic state, with Article 25 granting freedom of conscience to all.
Section 295 of India’s Penal Code criminalizes the destruction or damage of houses of worship.
In 2023, the Indian government introduced three bills to reform the country’s criminal code, which could target religious minorities by expanding police powers for “preventative action” and punishments for acts of terrorism.
Violence against Religious Minorities in Manipur In May, clashes between tribal Kuki and Meitei communities erupted in India’s northeastern state of Manipur. Violence began after Manipur’s High Court requested that the state government consider providing Scheduled Tribe status to the majority Hindu Meitei people, granting them expanded access to certain benefits.
Manipur’s minority Chrisitan Kuki community protested that the move would weaken their political and economic status.
Months of ongoing violence resulted in the destruction of thousands of homes, targeted attacks on places of worship, and the displacement of over 70,000 individuals.
Approximately 400 churches belonging to both Meiteis and Kukis were destroyed, and many others looted, illustrating a clear religious dimension to an ethnic conflict.
Reports indicated that two synagogues belonging to the Bnei Menashe community were damaged. Acts of sexual violence, including gang rape targeting Kuki women by Meitei men, were widely reported and articulated in an August letter by UN special rapporteurs.
UN experts further expressed concern about the role of hate speech and disinformation in inciting violence against the Kuki population.
Eyewitness accounts indicate that Hindu nationalist officials pressured Meitei Christian leaders to renounce their faith and observe the indigenous Meitei religion, Sanamahism. Citizens accused the central government and Manipur police of failing to protect places of worship or dispel communal violence.
Prior to the outbreak of violence in May, authorities destroyed three churches in Imphal, claiming they were illegal.
Following clashes in May, Union Home Minister Amit Shah stated that law enforcement had executed 40 members of the Kuki community deemed as terrorists—charges that Kukis dispute.
Anti-Conversion Laws
While India’s constitution protects the right to publicly share one’s faith, 13 out of India’s 28 states continued to enforce anti-conversion laws in 2023. Such laws make it difficult for people to convert from Hinduism to another religion and use broad language that leads to the targeting of religious minorities.
In January, the state of Himachal Pradesh enacted an amendment to its Freedom of Religion Act, redefining “mass conversion” as involving two or more people and barring members of Scheduled Tribes and Schedule Castes from obtaining certain benefits if they choose to convert from Hinduism.
Throughout 2023, a number of religious minorities were detained under state-level anti-conversion laws. In Chhattisgarh, where a third of the population identifies as Adivasi and less than two percent Christian, 13 pastors were arrested for allegedly forcing Adivasis to convert to Christianity.
In Uttar Pradesh, as of May 2023, over 855 people were reported to have been detained under charges of illegal conversion since the promulgation of the state’s anti-conversion law in 2020.
Anti-conversion laws increasingly included provisions designed to prevent interfaith marriages and so-called “love jihad.” “Love jihad” is a derogatory term used to describe the alleged occurrence of Muslim men marrying Hindu women for the purpose of conversion.
In June, the state government of Maharashtra created a 13-member panel to “investigate” interfaith marriages. Additionally, the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), a right-wing Hindu nationalist group, launched a national 11-day “awareness campaign” claiming that interfaith marriage was a form of forced religious conversion.
Key U.S. Policy
The United States and India continued to maintain strong bilateral ties in 2023. In March, the U.S. Senate confirmed Eric Garcetti as the U.S. Ambassador to India, filling the post after 20 months of vacancy. In fiscal year 2023, the U.S. government obligated $130 million for programs in India.
In June, President Joseph R. Biden hosted Prime Minister Modi for a state visit, where he addressed a joint session of Congress for the second time during his tenure.
In a joint press conference, Prime Minister Modi failed to answer a question about his government’s treatment of religious minorities.
In September, President Biden traveled to India for the G20 summit, during which he reportedly raised issues of human rights in private meetings with Prime Minister Modi. In November, U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin visited India for diplomatic dialogue on defense cooperation.
The same month, the U.S. Department of Justice released an indictment against an Indian government employee for his alleged involvement in the attempted assassination of a Sikh activist on U.S. soil. U.S. officials announced their expectations of the Indian government to conduct a full investigation into the accusations.
In a December hearing, members of the U.S. Congress reiterated concern about India’s involvement in acts of transnational repression. Also in December, the U.S. Department of State failed to designate India as a CPC Background India is the world’s most populated country, with an estimated 1.4 billion people.
The majority of its population is Hindu (79.8 percent) with minority Muslim (14.2 percent), Christian (2.3 percent), and Sikh (1.7 percent) communities. Smaller religious groups include Buddhists, Jains, Baha’is, Zoroastrians (Parsis), and an estimated 6,000 Jews. India’s constitution establishes a secular and democratic state, with Article 25 granting freedom of conscience to all.
Section 295 of India’s Penal Code criminalizes the destruction or damage of houses of worship.
In 2023, the Indian government introduced three bills to reform the country’s criminal code, which could target religious minorities by expanding police powers for “preventative action” and punishments for acts of terrorism.
Violence against Religious Minorities in Manipur
In May, clashes between tribal Kuki and Meitei communities erupted in India’s northeastern state of Manipur. Violence began after Manipur’s High Court requested that the state government consider providing Scheduled Tribe status to the majority Hindu Meitei people, granting them expanded access to certain benefits.
Manipur’s minority Chrisitan Kuki community protested that the move would weaken their political and economic status. Months of ongoing violence resulted in the destruction of thousands of homes, targeted attacks on places of worship, and the displacement of over 70,000 individuals.
Approximately 400 churches belonging to both Meiteis and Kukis were destroyed, and many others looted, illustrating a clear religious dimension to an ethnic conflict.
Reports indicated that two synagogues belonging to the Bnei Menashe community were damaged. Acts of sexual violence, including gang rape targeting Kuki women by Meitei men, were widely reported and articulated in an August letter by UN special rapporteurs.
UN experts further expressed concern about the role of hate speech and disinformation in inciting violence against the Kuki population.
Eyewitness accounts indicate that Hindu nationalist officials pressured Meitei Christian leaders to renounce their faith and observe the indigenous Meitei religion, Sanamahism. Citizens accused the central government and Manipur police of failing to protect places of worship or dispel communal violence.
Prior to the outbreak of violence in May, authorities destroyed three churches in Imphal, claiming they were illegal.
Following clashes in May, Union Home Minister Amit Shah stated that law enforcement had executed 40 members of the Kuki community deemed as terrorists—charges that Kukis dispute.
Anti-Conversion Laws
While India’s constitution protects the right to publicly share one’s faith, 13 out of India’s 28 states continued to enforce anti-conversion laws in 2023. Such laws make it difficult for people to convert from Hinduism to another religion and use broad language that leads to the targeting of religious minorities.
In January, the state of Himachal Pradesh enacted an amendment to its Freedom of Religion Act, redefining “mass conversion” as involving two or more people and barring members of Scheduled Tribes and Schedule Castes from obtaining certain benefits if they choose to convert from Hinduism.
Throughout 2023, a number of religious minorities were detained under state-level anti-conversion laws. In Chhattisgarh, where a third of the population identifies as Adivasi and less than two percent Christian, 13 pastors were arrested for allegedly forcing Adivasis to convert to Christianity.
In Uttar Pradesh, as of May 2023, over 855 people were reported to have been detained under charges of illegal conversion since the promulgation of the state’s anti-conversion law in 2020.
Anti-conversion laws increasingly included provisions designed to prevent interfaith marriages and so-called “love jihad.” “Love jihad” is a derogatory term used to describe the alleged occurrence of Muslim men marrying Hindu women for the purpose of conversion.
In June, the state government of Maharashtra created a 13-member panel to “investigate” interfaith marriages. Additionally, the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), a right-wing Hindu nationalist group, launched a national 11-day “awareness campaign” claiming that interfaith marriage was a form of forced religious conversion.
Key U.S. Policy
The United States and India continued to maintain strong bilateral ties in 2023. In March, the U.S. Senate confirmed Eric Garcetti as the U.S. Ambassador to India, filling the post after 20 months of vacancy. In fiscal year 2023, the U.S. government obligated $130 million for programs in India. In June, President Joseph R. Biden hosted Prime Minister Modi for a state visit, where he addressed a joint session of Congress for the second time during his tenure.
In a joint press conference, Prime Minister Modi failed to answer a question about his government’s treatment of religious minorities.
In September, President Biden traveled to India for the G20 summit, during which he reportedly raised issues of human rights in private meetings with Prime Minister Modi.
In November, U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin visited India for diplomatic dialogue on defense cooperation.
The same month, the U.S. Department of Justice released an indictment against an Indian government employee for his alleged involvement in the attempted assassination of a Sikh activist on U.S. soil. U.S. officials announced their expectations of the Indian government to conduct a full investigation into the accusations.
In a December hearing, members of the U.S. Congress reiterated concern about India’s involvement in acts of transnational repression. Also in December, the U.S. Department of State failed to designate India as CPC despite major religious freedom concerns.
https://www.state.gov/reports/2023-report-on-international-religious-freedom/india/
Modi's return: Why is it worrying for South Asia, Palestine peace?
BY IRFAN RAJA
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s return to power has raised concerns about the future of Muslims in South Asia and Palestine, given his administration’s previous policies impacting Muslim communities. There are apprehensions about potential continued challenges for Indian Muslims, who, according to professor Archana Venkatesh, may feel a regression to colonial-era conditions.
A series of notable incidents include the Gujarat 2002 riots, the Citizenship Amendment Act excluding Muslims, the revocation of Kashmir’s special status via Article 370, the conversion of Muslim monuments and mosques into temples, and instances of Muslim misrepresentation and violence against Muslims by certain groups. These issues have contributed to a climate of fear among Indian Muslims.
Recently, there has been a paradigm shift in Indian media and political discourse, portraying Muslims as threats, disloyal, outsiders, infiltrators and radical terrorists.
During Modi’s previous term, even Bollywood, traditionally a promoter of social cohesion, shifted toward more nationalistic and anti-Muslim narratives. Author Nilosree Biswas notes that post-partition Indian films often portrayed Muslims positively, but the rise of Hindu nationalism has normalized less friendly depictions. This trend is evident in films like "Mission Majnu" and "Pathaan," which have been criticized for Islamophobic themes.
Experts suggest that these narratives may contribute to a broader agenda of shaping public perception and political objectives, such as promoting the concept of a Hindu-centric India.
Many scholars and media experts are concerned about the global implications of Modi’s third term, especially for India’s 200 million Muslims, who fear increased persecution. The geopolitical landscape closely watches Modi’s next moves, particularly regarding India’s relations with neighboring countries like China and Pakistan.
Modi's doctrine
Now that India's "popular but polarising leader" Modi has returned to power for the third consecutive time, experts have begun debating and discussing his third term. A fundamental question is, “What’s next for Modi’s foreign policy?” Daniel Markey notes that "a muscular nationalism appears widely popular beyond the BJP faithful" when it comes to India’s foreign policy.
There is a noticeable shift in India, with a strong desire to take on a more assertive regional role. Modi's approach seems to draw inspiration from American and Israeli leadership styles. Some observers have pointed to controversial incidents involving Sikh leaders in Canada and the United States, as well as actions in Pakistan, as indicative of this assertive stance. Additionally, allegations of supplying weapons to Israel have been noted.
The prospect of another India-Pakistan conflict over Kashmir is a topic of discussion among Indian commentators, including retired generals like Gen. V.P. Malik and Maj. Gen. B. D. Bakshi, who believe that India should take a more aggressive stance regarding Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
Recent TV shows have featured right-wing nationalist anchors and retired military officers, such as Gaurav Arya, advocating for strong measures against Pakistan, including crossing the international border. This rhetoric reflects a policy approach reminiscent of the American "Bush Doctrine," which emphasizes preemptive action and the notion that "If you are not with us, you are against us."
These developments highlight the evolving dynamics of India’s foreign policy under Modi’s leadership and raise questions about future regional stability.
The prospect of increased tensions between India and Pakistan is conceivable, particularly as Modi appears more focused on his vision of “Akhand Bharat.” This vision depicts a unified territory spanning across South Asia, from Afghanistan to Myanmar, embracing Sri Lanka in the South and extending to the towering Himalayas in the North, including parts of China and Iran.
To pursue this vision, Modi seems to be taking cues from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is facing an arrest warrant over his “war crimes” in Gaza.
Modi and Palestine
Regarding Palestine, Modi’s strong pro-Israel stance marks a departure from Mahatma Gandhi’s policies, which supported Palestinian self-determination. As Gaza faces ongoing conflict, Modi’s alliance with Israel is seen as influencing far-right movements in India. The parallels between the situations in Kashmir and Palestine underscore the shared experiences of these regions.
Arjun Sengupta's investigation reveals that Mahatma Gandhi sympathized deeply with the plight of the Jewish people in Europe but opposed Zionist efforts to forcibly create a state in Palestine, which was already inhabited by Palestinian Arabs.
For over seven decades, both Kashmir and Palestine have faced continuous persecution, leading to a growing solidarity in their shared struggle against inhumane treatment, often referred to as "The Story of Two Occupations."
Amid ongoing genocide in Gaza, Modi has forged a military alliance with Israel, which some argue is indicative of increasing support from India's far-right groups who are influenced by Israel's approach.
Recent analyses suggest parallels between Kashmir and Palestine, with comparisons drawn to Israel's governance in Palestine.
The future remains uncertain for India's stances on Pakistan and Palestine under Modi's leadership, despite his slim majority and facing significant opposition. Will India align with European nations like Ireland, Spain and Norway in recognizing Palestine as a state? Or will Modi continue supporting Israel with military aid, potentially leading to further violence against unarmed Palestinians? Moreover, there are concerns about the possibility of military actions against Pakistan.
The world watches closely to see if Modi pursues peace or leans toward more destructive policies. Only time will reveal the path he chooses.
Irfan Raja, an Academic, analyst and activist is based in the U.K., Ph.D. holder at the University of Huddersfield
India’s Muslim lawmaker faced backlash for raising pro-Palestine chant
A simple expression of support for Palestine by an elected representative on the floor of the Indian parliament is being confronted virulently by the supporters of premier Modi’s ruling party.
All hell broke loose on June 25 when Asaduddin Owaisi, one of the few Muslim legislators in India’s newly elected parliament, raised a pro-Palestine chant soon after taking the oath of office for a fifth consecutive term.
The 54-year-old fire-breathing politician—who won a parliamentary seat from the southern state of Telangana with support from mainly Muslim and low-caste Hindu Dalit voters—concluded his oath with the words “Jai Falasteen” or “long live Palestine”.
It didn’t take long for the supporters of Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to aim their guns against the Muslim politician.
“Please send him to Palestine,”ﾠsaid one user of social media platform X while tagging the official handle of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s BJP, which has just returned to power for a third term in a row.
The X user also tagged the official handle of the Israeli military, demanding that it should “take care” of the outspoken Muslim politician from India.
Another X userﾠcalled for Owaisi’s immediate deportation from India, calling him a “traitor” for raising his voice in parliament for Palestine.
Through one of its official X handles, the ruling BJP party of premier Modiﾠcalled for Owaisi to have “a little bit of shame” for his pro-Palestine chant.
The ruling BJP has thrived on communal politics, pitting the followers of militant Hindutva ideology against Muslims who constitute roughly 14 percent of India’s population.
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The Journal of America Team:
Editor in chief:
Abdus Sattar Ghazali
Senior Editor:
Prof. Arthur Scott
Special Correspondent
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