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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday praised Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei for denouncing violence against Muslims in India, but Prime Minister Imran Khan also regretted the general silence on the issue in the Muslim world.
Through tweets in English, Urdu, Persian, French and Arabic, Ayatollah Khamenei condemned last week’s violence against Muslims in Delhi in which 46 people, mostly Muslims, lost their lives and a large number of properties owned by Muslims and mosques were damaged.
“The hearts of Muslims all over the world are grieving over the massacre of Muslims in India. The govt of India should confront extremist Hindus & their parties & stop the massacre of Muslims in order to prevent India’s isolation from the world of Islam,” Ayatollah Khamenei tweeted in English along with the hashtag #IndianMuslimslnDanger.
Iran’s supreme leader has in the past also criticised human rights violations in occupied Kashmir. He last issued a statement on Kashmir after its annexation by India in August 2019. He had on that occasion urged the Indian government “to adopt a just policy towards the noble people of Kashmir and prevent the oppression and bullying of Muslims in this region”.
Imran praises Iranian leader for denouncing violence against Muslims in India
On Monday, Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif had condemned, what he called, the “organised violence” against Muslims in India and “senseless thuggery”. He had asked the Indian government to ensure “well-being of all Indians” and “rule of law”, while addressing the situation through “peaceful dialogue”.
Mr Zarif’s statement drew sharp reaction from the Indian government, which summoned Iranian envoy in Delhi Ali Chegeni for lodging a protest. Indian External Affairs Ministry had rejected FM Zarif’s statement as “totally uncalled for”, “unacceptable”, interference in India’s “internal matters” and a “selective and tendentious characterisation of recent events in Delhi”.
It should be recalled that very few countries spoke against the violence perpetrated by Hindu extremists against Muslims with Indian government’s tacit support. Besides Iran, only Turkey from among the Muslim countries has condemned the attacks.
The involvement of Indian government in the Feb 23 attacks and encouragement of the assailants has been too obvious. Police either stood by or escorted the mobs during the attacks.
A video clip in which injured Muslim men were forced by policemen to lie on the ground and sing patriotic songs went viral on the social media, exposing the nexus between the police and the attackers. Moreover, some of the mob leaders were praised by politicians belonging to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.
Importantly, Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not condemn the violence against the Muslim community except for vaguely calling for peace.
Violence against Muslims in India has increased under Mr Modi’s watch. Over the past few years multiple incidents of lynching of Muslims and violent attacks on them have been reported from different parts of India.
Indian government’s own policies are seen as discriminatory towards the 200 million Indian Muslims. Late last year India enacted a controversial citizenship law and published National Register of Citizens, sparking widespread protests.
It is believed that the latest incidents involving anti-Muslim violence by the activists of RSS and its affiliates was a response to the anti-CAA and NRC protests.
Pakistan government has time and again warned of the serious consequences of Indian government’s anti-Muslim policies and growing extremist violence against Muslims there. However, the world has been slow to realise the gravity of the situation.
“I want to thank Supreme Leader Khamenei, & President Erdogan, for speaking against the oppression & massacre of Muslims in India & Kashmiris in IOJK by the Hindu Supremacist Modi regime,” PM Khan tweeted in response to Ayatollah Khamenei’s tweet.
“Sadly, few voices from the Muslim World are speaking out & condemning this; & more voices are being raised in the West condemning the Hindu Supremacist Modi regime’s massacre of Muslims in India & Kashmiris in IOJK,” Mr Khan said while regretting indifference of the Muslim world to the plight of Muslims in India.
President Arif Alvi also took to twitter to thank the Iranian supreme leader. “Pakistan appreciates this response from Imam @khamenei_ir and we agree that there must be a unified stance on this dangerous issue. Looking at history of Nazi extremism, and that of Myanmar, this may lead to Muslim genocide in India. Let the world not ignore obvious similarities,” the president said.
Published in Dawn, March 6th, 2020
