HYDERABAD: Repr-esen­tatives of various minorities have vowed to counter Indian media’s propaganda aimed at spreading hate among religious minorities in the backdrop of the Aug 21 incident of alleged desecration of Holy Quran in the city.

They said that minorities in Pakistan were being protected well by state institutions, and added that Indian government would be better off if protection to religious minorities there was ensured and justice was provided to the heirs of 12 Bheel community fellows who had travelled to India from Sindh and were murdered by zealots.

Speaking at a joint news conference at the local press club, Advocate G.M. Parkash, a member of the National Lobbying Delegation for Minorities, Bishop Samson from the Catholic Diocese Sindh, M. Parkash Singh, a member of the Pakistan Hindu Council, Ghazi Salahuddin, chairman of the Hyderabad Cantonment peace committee and Fr. Dr Daniel Fiaz from the Church of Pakistan roundly condemned the Aug 21 incident.

“We are here to say that we stand for peace for all and we will foil conspiracies of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh [of India],” said Advocate M. Parkash. He said the incident was simply condemnable and such incidents must stop. Anyone involved in it must face the music. “I must say religious places of minorities here are safe and Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs and Christians were names of Pakistani power,” he said.

Referring to the Sunday disturbances in the city, he said the Indian media was trying to use the Aug 21 incident for unleashing a propaganda against Pakistan. Religious minorities, including scheduled caste (Dalits), Muslims and Christians were not safe in India, he added.

He said that 12 Bheel community fellows had travelled to India, where RSS zealots had poisoned them to death. He said no inquiry had so far been held by Indian government. “It is all a conspiracy of RSS,” he said, adding: “Modi government’s conspiracy will fail”.

He urged United Nations to take notice of Indian agents’ activities in Pakistan. He pointed out that by holding a ‘Namoos-i-Risalat’ rally in Hyderabad, religious minorities had proved that Hindus respected all religions. “Hindus here get more security from law enforcers than our Muslim brothers,” he said.

Bishop Samson appreciated the response given by security agencies following the desecration incident and ensuing disturbances in Hyderabad. He said those involved in it must be brought to justice. The cleric lambasted those elements which were trying to capitalise on this incident. “No person from any religious minority here can even think of committing blasphemy,” he remarked, and said this was all aimed at causing provocation.

Fr. Dr Daniel Fiaz said believers of all faiths were respectable and they coexisted in harmony. “We all respect everyone’s faith because all faiths preach peace and harmony,” he said, adding that no religious minority fellow had temerity to commit such offence. He, however, called for severe punishment to anyone found involved in the incident.

Sikh community leader M. Parkash Singh said Indian government was hell bent to propagate against Pakistan at international level through its media. He observed that the Indian media would resort to such tactics but always looked the other way when it came to atrocities against Sikhs, Muslims and Kashmiris by Indian forces.

He also called for an inquiry into the murder of 12 Bheel community members by the RSS.

Published in Dawn, August 26th, 2022