ICC Note:
In recent years, intolerance against religious minorities has skyrocketed in India. Many experts attribute this rise in intolerance with the political ascendance of the BJP and its ideological leader Prime Minister Modi. Know for its Hindu nationalist platform, the BJP has been accused of overseeing an administration that has done little to stop the activities of Hindu extremists who attack religious minorities and seek to establish India as a Hindu nation by force. The situation in India has become so bad that the a U.S. Congressional Commission held a hearing on the topic earlier this month. Is India on the road to becoming one of the world’s worst persecutors of Christians?
6/27/2016 India (Kashmir Watch) – India which apparently, claims to be the largest democracy, acting upon the principles of liberalism and secularism has broken all the records of violence, genocide and massacre perpetrated on various ethnic and religious groups, entailing the community of its own lower castes.
Taking note of the growing intolerance and plight of minorities in India on June 7, this year, Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission of the US Congress examined the current state of human rights in India, challenges to fundamental freedoms and opportunities for advancement.
The report said, “Despite Constitutional provisions…abolishing the legal existence of untouchable or Dalit castes, the caste system remains deeply ingrained within Indian society, leading to ongoing discrimination. Dalit communities, which make up a quarter of India’s population, are disproportionately at risk of suffering from major human rights concern in India.”
It further wrote, “Religious minorities also face growing challenges. According to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom’s most recent report, “In 2015, religious tolerance deteriorated and religious freedom violations increased in India. Minority communities, especially Christians, Muslims, and Sikhs experienced numerous incidents of intimidation, harassment, and violence, largely at the hands of Hindu nationalist groups…these actions, coupled with perceived crackdowns on groups or individuals critical of the Indian government, have many concerned that the rights to freedom of speech and freedom of association are being increasingly curtailed.”
In fact, since the leader of the ruling party BJP Narendra Modi became Prime Minister of India, various developments like unprecedented rise of Hindu extremism, persecution of minorities even of lower cast-Hindus, forced conversions of other religious minorities into Hindus, ban on beef and cow slaughter, inclusion of Hindu religious books in curriculum, creation of war-like situation with Pakistan etc. clearly show that encouraged by the Hindu fundamentalist outfits such as BJP, RSS VHP, Bajrang Dal and Shiv Sena including other similar parties have been promoting religious and ethnic chauvinism in India by propagating ideology of Hindutva (Hindu nationalism). Especially, assaults on Christians and Muslims including their places of worships and property have been intensified by the fanatic Hindu mobs.
India is vocal advocate of secularism, but nowhere else in the world secularism was so blatantly betrayed. Moulana Azad had once remarked that communal frenzy would disappear when India assumes her destiny. In so-called secular India, Moulana Azad’s hopes and aspirations have gone for good due to the bullying politics of BJP/RSS goons.
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