This is a great example to emulate in our country where this and many other misconceptions and biases rule the roost. How did Islam spread? By citing the examples of some Hindu kings being killed by Muslim Kings for political reasons, it has been popularized and instilled the myth that Islam spread by sword. The reality of the spread of Islam in India is very different.

The Arab traders had been frequently coming to Malabar Coast of Kerala and Islam was adopted by the locals through social interaction with these traders. The manifestation of this phenomenon is perceivable through Cheraman Jumma Mosque in Malabar region of Kerala which was built in the seventh century itself.

Swami Vivekananda points out “The Mohammedan conquest of India came as a salvation of the downtrodden, to the poor. That is why one fifth of our people have become Mohammedans. It was not the sword that did it all. It would be the height of madness to think that it was all the work of sword and fire. It was to gain their liberty from the… zamindars (landlords) and from the – Priest, and as a consequence you find in Bengal there are more Mohammedans than Hindus amongst cultivators, because there were so many zamindars there.” As such none of the kings spread their religion, barring Emperor Ashok, who sent his emissaries to spread the message of Lord Gautama Buddha.

Today in India the misconceptions against Muslims and Christians are abound and form the base of violence. The misconceptions are becoming stronger over the period of time and have become a part of ‘social common sense’. The process of spreading misconception began with the formulation that Muslim Kings destroyed Hindu temples. The intensification of the propaganda led to the demolition of Babri mosque on December6, 1992, the guilty of which have not been punished till date. The Babri Mosque issue has been added, Kashi and Mathura. Even Taj Mahal is being propagated as Shiva Temple converted into the tomb of Noorjahan, queen of Jahangir.

Lately misconceptions about the ‘Cow being a holy animal and Muslims are killing the cows’ is at the forefront. This is one of the main grounds for propagating vegetarianism on one hand and lynching on the other. As per the IndiaSpend “IndiaSpend has reported that Muslims were the target of 51% of violence cantered on bovine issues from 2010 to 2017 and comprised 86% of the 28 Indian citizens killed in 63 incidents. Only 3% of these attacks had been reported before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government came to power in May 2014. IndiaSpend also recorded that about half the cow-related violence—32 of 63 cases—occurred in BJP-ruled States.”

Human rights activist Harsh Mander, the founder of Karwan-e-Mohabbat, visits the families of lynching victims to soothe the wounds of the families and residents. The impact of lynching is very powerful and frightening. All this came to mind when Cow Vigilantes’ killed a Hindu student Aryan Mishra on the suspicion of cow smuggling. His mother stated “In her statement, Aryan’s mother questioned the reasons behind the killing, saying, “The accused mistook him as a Muslim and killed him. Why? Aren’t Muslims human? Why you need to kill Muslims”. We do recall Akhlaq, Junaid, Rakbar Khan and many others who have been done to death on suspicion of killing the cows. Recently while travelling from Amritsar to Palampur by road, my young colleague was repeatedly shocked to see the plight of stray cows, their menace on the road and frequency of road accidents related to cows and plight of farmers due to stray cows.

On parallel lines the non-vegetarian food in the Tiffin is becoming another cause for tormenting Muslim students. In an incident a third standard Muslim boy in a prominent school in Amroha had brought Biryani in his lunch box. The principal of Hilton school, Amrish Kumar Sharma locked him up in the store room, commenting that “I won’t teach children who will demolish temples after growing up…”

The major problem being faced by the country is Hate speech. We have mechanisms to control and punish those indulging in Hate speech but on ground; those indulging in hate speech are generally enjoying impunity, rather they are promoted in the party hierarchy. The Assam Chief Minister on a regular basis spreads such hate, like I will not let Miya Muslims to take over Assam. And uses words like flood jihad, electricity jihad and naukari (jobs) Jihad. On a regular basis he and other BJP leaders state things like this to polarize the community along religious lines.

UP Chief Minister, Yogi Adityanath began demolishing the houses and property of Muslims by bulldozers. Other BJP Chief Ministers have been following this example. On Bulldozer menace Justice B.R. Gavai stated “How can homes of people be demolished only because he is an accused? Even if he is a convict, it can’t be done without following the procedure as prescribed by law”.  He was hearing a petition against the Jahangirpuri demolition drive in Delhi after the 2022 riots. “But the question is will the Chief Ministers listen?

Is it not time for the state to set up a committee like the one in the UK to ensure the implementation of norms which combat misconceptions? In India many misconceptions are prevailing and no impactful effort has been undertaken to counter these. These misconceptions have spread very dangerously in society. The civil society groups and political parties committed to inclusive, peaceful society need to come forward need to undertake promotion of harmony by countering misconceptions, it is overdue to prevent communal violence in society!

Author is Political commentator

The post Combating Islamophobia: A task overdue appeared first on SabrangIndia.

The incidents, occurring within a span of five days, are not isolated events but rather part of a broader pattern of targeted aggression against Muslims. These attacks range from brutal lynching’s to the destruction of properties and places of worship, often incited by inflammatory rhetoric from political leaders and fuelled by a sense of impunity among the perpetrators. The alarming frequency and intensity of these incidents point to a systematic erosion of communal harmony, where violence against a particular community is increasingly normalised.

What is particularly troubling is the role of state institutions in either directly or indirectly facilitating these crimes? In some cases, law enforcement agencies have been accused of turning a blind eye to the violence, failing to protect victims, or even actively participating in the oppression of minority communities. This tacit or overt state support emboldens perpetrators, creating an environment where communal violence can thrive unchecked.

The week’s events also highlights the role of social media in spreading hate and inciting violence. Misinformation and provocative content circulate rapidly online, stoking communal tensions and leading to real-world consequences. The digital age has amplified the reach and impact of communal propaganda, making it easier for hate to spread and harder for authorities to contain the fallout.

As India grapples with these challenges, it is crucial to examine the underlying factors driving this surge in communal violence. From the politicisation of religion to the failure of law enforcement and the judiciary in upholding justice, a complex interplay of forces is at work, threatening to unravel the delicate social fabric of the nation. The incidents of this week serve as a grim reminder of the urgent need for introspection and action to prevent further communal polarization and protect the secular values enshrined in the Indian Constitution.

1. Hate Speeches and Incitement

The hate speeches in question often include inflammatory rhetoric that dehumanizes and vilifies entire communities, particularly Muslims, portraying them as enemies of the nation. Such speeches are not only delivered by fringe elements but are often echoed by influential political leaders, further legitimizing these dangerous narratives. For instance, terms like “love jihad” are used to propagate the idea that Muslim men are systematically seducing Hindu women to convert them, creating a sense of fear and mistrust among communities. Similarly, the narrative of a “population explosion” linked to the Muslim community fuels anxieties about demographic change, leading to calls for action that often result in violence and social ostracisation. These speeches erode the very fabric of India’s secular and pluralistic society, sowing seeds of discord and hatred that disrupt the communal harmony that has long been a hallmark of the nation. By framing one community as a threat to another, these speeches encourage division rather than unity, leading to a polarized society where mistrust and animosity become the norm. The normalization of such rhetoric, especially when it comes from figures of authority, emboldens individuals and groups to act on these prejudices, resulting in acts of violence, discrimination, and social exclusion. The cumulative effect is a deeply fractured society, where the bonds of trust and mutual respect are systematically weakened, threatening the very idea of India as a diverse and inclusive nation.

• August 28, 2024 – Sagar, Karnataka

During an event organized by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal, religious preacher Basvaraj G delivered a speech that propagated fear and animosity towards the Muslim community. He reiterated unfounded conspiracies such as “love jihad,” fuelling mistrust and communal discord among the attendees.

• August 29, 2024 – Doda, Jammu

BJP candidate Gajay Singh Rana made provocative statements asserting that the war that Hindus have to fight was not against terrorism but a conflict between Hindus and Muslims. He portrayed Muslims as aggressors and Hindus as victims, exacerbating communal tensions in the region.

In #Jammu‘s #Doda, #BJP candidate #GajaySinghRana said his fight is not against terrorists. The fight is between #Hindus and #Muslims in which Muslims are the attackers while Hindus are the victims.#JammuKashmirElection2024 pic.twitter.com/Fua7nveimy

— Hate Detector (@HateDetectors) August 29, 2024

• August 29, 2024 – Bhilwara, Rajasthan

Neeraj Doneria, the chief of Bajrang Dal, delivered an inflammatory speech alleging that various societal issues, including riots and cow slaughter, were attributable to “Islamic Jihad.” He invoked several anti-Muslim conspiracy theories like “love jihad” and “land jihad,” contributing to an atmosphere of hostility.

“Whatever riots, unrest, cow slaughter, division and Love-Jihad that there is in this country, it is due to Islamic Jihad. All this is happening due to those we had given shelter to even after they had divided our country.”

“They say that they want to make India into an Islamic nation by 2047. NIA had arrested 5 people from a Madrasa in Bihar. The NIA had found a book in which steps of how to make a nation into an Islamic state had been written. The steps included increasing the Muslim population by indulging in Love Jihad and trapping Hindu girls.”

“Babasaheb had even then written against Islamic Jihad. These people work according to their holy books, and cannot ever consider us their brothers. They could not even tolerate the 5% Hindu population in Kashmir, had raped a daughter in front of her Hindu father and a sister in front of her brother. They had written “Pakistan Zindabad on their naked bodies and had butchered them and thrown their bodies on the streets.”

• August 29, 2024 – Gangakhed, Parbhani, Maharashtra

BJP leader T Raja Singh addressed a gathering where he propagated baseless claims about “love jihad” and urged the state government to adopt aggressive measures, including demolishing properties belonging to Muslims, drawing parallels with actions taken in other states.

“I want to request the CM of Maharashtra to show his anger as this is the right time to do so. What Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath does with his enemies there with Jihadis, Love Jihadis and those who slaughter cows, could Maharashtra not do the same?”

“In the city of Nashik, those who have the mentality of Bangladeshis, they should also have their houses bulldozed.”

“CM Yogi says that whosoever indulges in Love-Jihad, they will be hanged upside down.”

“Does UP not have Muslim population? It does. But the Muslims living there have understood that this saffron government will not leave them. The Jihadis living there know that if they indulge in any crimes like they did in the past, if they do any Jihadi activity, the CM will shoot them.”

• September 1, 2024 – Chomu, Jaipur, Rajasthan

A Bajrang Dal leader delivered a vehement speech laden with references to violence and war, promoting the “love jihad” conspiracy and issuing open challenges that threatened the safety and security of the Muslim community.

“Right not, Hindus are quiet. But the day Hindus show their anger, the people who say ‘Sar Tan se Juda’ will go hide their own heads. I am giving them an open challenge that come and face the wrath of Hindus.”

“They brought in the Waqf law but they never asked any Hindu about it. They tell us about lands that belong to the Waqf, but do they ever ask any Hindu if they donated their land to the Waqf? Those who trap our daughters and forcefully convert our brothers, why would we give our land to them?”

They trap our sisters and daughters in Love Jihad. Rashid fraudulently becomes Rahul, Ahmed becomes Manish. This is how they trap our women and force them to convert. It is then that a worker of the Bajrang Dal gets to the street and tells the Hindu girl that I will protect you and see that no one forces you to covert.”

• September 1, 2024 – Rasulabad, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh

A far-right poet incited violence through a speech that called for brutal actions and preparations for war against Muslims, explicitly advocating for bloodshed in the name of protecting religious sanctity.

“From tomorrow only, let’s teach them a lesson. Let’s put on a show. This is a war, and with their red blood we will have our celebration.”

“It is a given now that there will be a war. We will fight for our homeland, we will fight for our Sanatan Dharma.”

• September 1, 2024 – Borunda, Jodhpur, Rajasthan

A VHP-Bajrang Dal leader disseminated fear-mongering narratives about Muslims, accusing them of deceitfully targeting Hindu women and eroding Hindu values, thereby stoking communal hatred.

“These people trap them by taking their numbers, defriending them and eloping with them. We have to stop our sisters and daughters from becoming Muslims. Our Hindu values are vanishing. These girls don’t know that Muslims are those who slaughter cows. We can never consider them our brothers since they even marry their sisters.”

• September 1, 2024 – Siwan, Bihar

Another leader from the VHP-Bajrang Dal threatened violence while promoting “love jihad” conspiracies. He declared that anyone perceived as weakening Hinduism, including Muslims and Christians, would face severe consequences, fostering an environment of intimidation and fear.

“We will not let your plans to covert Hindu girls by trapping them to increase your population, to demolish temples and to forcefully convert Hindus succeed ever. We have to work to ensure that this plan doesn’t exceed. We will not leave any Hindu, Muslim or Christian who comes in our path. Whoever wants to weaken the Hindus, they will have to face the Bajrang Dal and VHP.”

• September 1, 2024 – Srirampur, Ahmednagar, Maharashtra

BJP legislator Nitesh Rane made a highly dehumanizing and provocative speech against Muslims during a Sakal Hindu Samaj event. He employed derogatory language and issued violent threats, including references to destroying religious sites and inflicting bodily harm.

“If you say anything against Hinduism, we will tear apart the burka of Islam. We will kill one by one if they do anything to Ramgiri Maharaj. If you don’t stop your population increasing tactics, we will kill you like insects. Don’t cry when I break your Mazars using a JCB. If you want to say ‘sar tan se juda’, just go to Pakistan. If you do anything to Ramgiri Maharaj, next Friday your ass will be separate from your body. If you say ‘sar tan se juda’ again, then your head will not be on your body.”

“Danda uthao, Lande baghao (Pickup sticks and remove the Muslims).”

2. Acts of Violence and Assault

The series of violent incidents that have been highlighted below, which include incidents of mob lynching’s, assaults, and arson, are direct manifestations of the hate speeches that have become increasingly common. In one tragic instance, a Muslim man was lynched by a mob after being falsely accused of cow slaughter, an accusation often used to justify brutal acts of violence against Muslims. These acts of violence are not isolated but are part of a broader pattern where hate-filled rhetoric translates into real-world brutality. The victims are often targeted simply because of their religious identity, leading to a climate of fear and insecurity within minority communities. The repeated occurrence of such incidents within a short span of time underscores the alarming speed at which communal tensions are escalating, fueled by the normalization of hate speech. This violence not only inflicts immediate physical and emotional harm on individuals but also deepens communal divides, making reconciliation and peace increasingly difficult to achieve.

• August 28, 2024 – Madhopur, Haridwar, Uttarakhand

A 24-year-old Muslim youth named Wasim Qureshi Monu allegedly met a tragic end at the hands of a cattle protection squad from the Uttarakhand Police. According to his family and local witnesses, as provided in the Maktoob Media report, Wasim was thrown into a pond by the police who were on patrol investigating reports of cow slaughter. The police claim that Wasim drowned while attempting to flee arrest after they signalled him to stop his scooter.

Wasim, a resident of Sohlpaur Gada and a gym trainer by profession, was reportedly visiting his sister in Madhopur at the time. His family denies the cow slaughter allegations and asserts that the police violently assaulted him before throwing him into the pond. The police conducted a search throughout the night but only discovered Wasim’s body the following morning.

A police complaint has been filed by Wasim’s family, alleging police brutality and a cover-up. They claim that officers beat Wasim before discarding him into the pond and that his legs were tied and face injured when his body was recovered. Despite the serious accusations, no formal case has been registered against the police so far, according to a report in Maktoob Media. Instead, three FIRs have been filed against Wasim for alleged cow meat smuggling, assaulting the police, and sharing posts that could disturb communal harmony. Local politicians and activists have called for a murder case against the officers involved.

• August 28, 2024 – Kalyan, Maharashtra

On September 2, a railway court in Kalyan, near Mumbai, revoked the bail granted to three men accused of assaulting an elderly Muslim man on a train last week. The victim, 72-year-old Ashraf Ali Sayyed Hussain, was attacked on August 28, near Igatpuri in Nashik district, on a train by young individuals who alleged that he was carrying beef. A video of the assault went viral on August 31, prompting widespread calls for police action.

Hussain, traveling from Jalgaon to Kalyan to visit his daughter, described the assault as unprovoked. According to his account, when the train reached Kalyan, the attackers, who were reportedly on their way to Mumbai for a police recruitment exam, demanded to check his bag, which contained buffalo meat—a legal item in Maharashtra. Despite Hussain’s claims that it was bullock meat (which is banned), the men began to beat him and threatened further violence. They also boasted about their alleged connections with the Hindutva group Bajrang Dal, known for its involvement in cow vigilantism and mob violence, as reported by The Wire and The Quint.

The three men—Akash Ahwad, Nilesh Ahire, and Jayesh Mohite—were initially arrested on September 1 but released on bail the same day, as they were charged under bailable sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita related to unlawful assembly, rioting, and other offenses. Following this, the Government Railway Police added non-bailable charges, including those related to hurting religious sentiments and attempted robbery, which led to a new application for bail cancellation. The Kalyan railway court agreed, stating the accused’s presence was required for further investigation.

Jitendra Awhad, a leader of the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar), shared the court’s order on social media, questioning the railway police’s delay in action despite the viral video. The Times of India reported that the police have identified two additional suspects from Dhule district, who will be arrested soon.

• August 29, 2024 – Ramganga Vihar, Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh

A young Muslim boy was violently attacked by a mob who accused him of eve teasing while he was out buying milk. The situation escalated when the boy’s father arrived to defend him, only to be attacked by the mob as well.

A #Muslim boy went to buy milk was beaten by a mob on accusations of eve teasing in #RamgangaVihar area of #Moradabad, #UttarPradesh.

The mob also beat his father who had come to rescue the boy from the mob and demanded to check CCTV footage and prove the allegations. pic.twitter.com/lJTjqv2Y9o

— Hate Detector (@HateDetectors) August 29, 2024

• August 31, 2024 – Charkhi Dadri, Haryana

A migrant from West Bengal named Sabir was brutally beaten to death by cow vigilantes on suspicion of consuming beef. Sabir, who had been called to the area for work, was attacked and subsequently found dead near a canal. His relative, Asiruddin, was also assaulted and left injured at the scene.

Sabir, migrant from #WestBengal, was beaten to death by cow vigilantes in #Haryana‘s #CharkhiDadri on Tuesday over the suspicion of consuming beef. He was called for work and assaulted.

Later, his body was found near a canal. His relative Asiruddin was also beaten up and dumped. pic.twitter.com/77dpSSgzSW

— Hate Detector (@HateDetectors) August 31, 2024

• September 1, 2024 – Nandaprayag, Chamoli, Uttarakhand

An anti-Muslim rally erupted following accusations against a Muslim barber for allegedly molesting a minor girl. The protest escalated as participants chanted inflammatory slogans, attacked Muslim-owned shops, and issued ultimatums demanding the expulsion of Muslims from the town, leading to widespread fear and property damage.

3. Vandalism and Threats to Religious Sites

The incidents of vandalism and threats to religious sites highlighted in the recent wave of communal violence reflect a dangerous escalation in efforts to intimidate and suppress minority communities. In one case, a mosque was defiled with provocative graffiti and its windows shattered, an act clearly intended to incite fear and provoke retaliation. Similarly, the desecration of a temple by miscreants, who defaced sacred idols and left behind messages of hate, further inflamed tensions between communities. Such acts are not isolated but part of a broader strategy to destabilize the social fabric by attacking what communities hold sacred. These acts of vandalism, often coupled with explicit threats of further violence, create an environment where religious sites are no longer places of peace and worship but battlegrounds for asserting dominance. The targeting of these sites not only aims to provoke immediate outrage but also to send a chilling message that no place is safe from the reach of communal hatred, deepening the rift between different religious groups and undermining the spirit of coexistence.

• August 30, 2024 – Kanchanpur Village, Sitamarhi, Bihar

A mosque’s wall was defaced with threatening and provocative messages by extremists, demanding its demolition and making ominous threats against the Muslim community. The message that was written on the wall was “Jai Hindu, Hindus are your fathers. Remove the mosque by the 30^th, reduce the attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh, or we will eliminate Muslims from the world. Muslim brothers are requested to demolish the mosque, or we will bring Hindu supporters from Bantara and destroy the mosque. Jai Hindu.”

Despite the severity of the incident, authorities had not filed an FIR or made any arrests at the time, raising concerns about accountability and protection of religious sites.

In #Bihar‘s #Sitamarhi, a mosque’s wall was defaced with threatening and provocative messages written by extremists at #Kanchanpur village. The message read:

“Jai Hindu, Hindus are your fathers. Remove the mosque by the 30th, reduce the attacks on #Hindus in #Bangladesh, or we… pic.twitter.com/fyv1uL80g4

— Hate Detector (@HateDetectors) August 30, 2024

• September 1, 2024 – Mathura, Uttar Pradesh

An individual named Pushpendra Chaudhary attempted to set himself ablaze near the historic Shahi Idgah Mosque, expressing intentions to demolish the mosque. He was found with petrol and matches, and upon intervention by the police, he declared his aim to destroy the religious structure, indicating escalating threats to Muslim heritage sites.

“मैं इस मस्जिद को उड़ाने आया हूँ तोड़ने आया हूँ, आज नही तो कल ये ज़रूर टूटेगी, मैं डाबर भाइयों ( मुसलमान) को जगाने आया हूँ मेरा मक़्सद मस्जिद तोड़ना है”

मथुरा की शाही ईदगाह पर पैट्रोल और माचिस लेकर पहुंचे पुष्पेंद्र चौधरी ने तेल छिड़क कर ख़ुद को कार में लॉक कर लिया, पुलिस ने… pic.twitter.com/e7dxS7QFMa

— Zakir Ali Tyagi (@ZakirAliTyagi) September 1, 2024

• September 1, 2024 – Sanjauli, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh

A large protest erupted in Sanjauli, a suburb of Shimla, with hundreds of participants demanding the demolition of a mosque they deemed “illegal” and justice for a Hindu trader who was severely attacked in the Malyana area. The demonstration, involving nearly 500 people from various parts of the city, expressed concerns over the increasing number of Muslim migrants in Shimla, calling for their police verification and registration. The rally was sparked by a dispute involving the businessman, who was assaulted by several individuals from the minority community on Friday night. The police have already filed an FIR related to the attack.

Senior district officials attended the protest to address the concerns, acknowledging that part of the mosque’s construction on Waqf Board land was unauthorized and that legal proceedings were underway. Shimla’s Superintendent of Police, Sanjeev Kumar Gandhi, assured that the attack case would be handled as an attempt to murder and urged for peace. He also stated that investigations into the migrant issue would be pursued. Meanwhile, Shimla Deputy Commissioner Anupam Kashyap noted that the top floor of the mosque was under scrutiny, with construction halted and an earlier unauthorized toilet demolished.

The tension has escalated with reports that local police were enforcing a de facto boycott of Muslim workers in the area. Journalist Chander Sekhar Luthra criticized this action, highlighting that the police instructed local businesses to dismiss Muslim employees, reflecting a troubling shift towards community-specific discrimination. Luthra condemned the lack of support from the state government and urged Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu to uphold religious harmony and reject the divisive tactics being employed.

Hundreds of people gathered at #Sanjauli, a suburb of Shimla, on Sunday and protested against “illegal” construction of a mosque and an attack on a trader in #Malyana area of the city.

The protesters demanded demolition of the structure and registration of a case of attempt to… pic.twitter.com/JmFM7bg3XZ

— Hate Detector (@HateDetectors) September 1, 2024

Is Congress govt in HP going BJP way???
My first hand account in Shimla… after a Muslim allegedly bashed a Hindu resident in Sanjauli area of Shimla, first time I saw procession Hindus calling for ‘Muslim boycott’…
1/1@INCIndia @BJP4India @RahulGandhi @SukhuSukhvinder

— Chander Shekhar Luthra (@shekharluthra) September 1, 2024

4. Media Misrepresentation and Bias

The recent instances of media misrepresentation and bias underscore a troubling trend that exacerbates communal tensions and perpetuates harmful stereotypes. For example, using misleading imagery, such as portraying an elderly Muslim man in a context unrelated to him, can create unwarranted suspicion and prejudice against the Muslim community. Similarly, biased reporting on allegations involving minority professionals, without substantial evidence, can fuel religious discrimination and cast doubt on the integrity of those individuals. These instances highlight how selective and distorted media portrayals can deepen societal divides, unfairly target communities, and undermine efforts towards a more balanced and just public discourse.

• August 29, 2024 – Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh

In Bijnor district, Uttar Pradesh, a Muslim teacher named Ayesha Parveen was suspended from her position at a higher primary school due to allegations that she prohibited Hindu students from wearing tilak. These claims, made by the Basic Shiksha Adhikari (BSA), have been strongly denied by Ayesha, who has been a dedicated educator at the school for nearly 20 years. Following her suspension, students gathered to bid her farewell, with many visibly upset and some deciding to leave the school in protest. A viral video shows Ayesha, wearing a hijab, comforting her students and encouraging them to continue working hard despite the situation. Ayesha explained that she has never made such statements, attributing the confusion to a colleague named Usha, who had advised against wearing caps or tilak. Ayesha has since joined a new school while she awaits the outcome of the ongoing inquiry into the allegations against her.

A #Muslim teacher was suspended from higher primary school in #UttarPradesh’s #Bijnor district over allegations that she barred #Hindu students from wearing tilak.

The suspension was followed by the allegations made by Basic Shiksha Adhikari (BSA) The teacher, #AyeshaParveen,… pic.twitter.com/G48ofuYKDx

— Hate Detector (@HateDetectors) August 29, 2024

• August 30, 2024 – Rampur, Uttar Pradesh

In a disturbing instance of media bias, News24 TV channel used the image of an elderly Muslim man as a symbolic representation while reporting on a crime involving the rape of a baby goat, despite the accused being identified as a Hindu, namely Sher Singh. This misrepresentation perpetuates harmful stereotypes and fosters unwarranted suspicion and prejudice against the Muslim community.

रामपुर में बकरी के बच्चे के साथ कुकर्म कर लहूलुहान करने वाले व्यक्ति का नाम शेर सिंह है लेकिन @news24tvchannel ने ख़बर को ब्रेक करने के दौरान प्रतीकात्मक तस्वीर के रूप में कुर्ता और लूंगी पहने मुस्लिम बुज़ुर्ग की तस्वीर को इस्तेमाल किया है, ये News24 उन चैंनलों में सबसे पहले आता… https://t.co/urZM5L7FuP pic.twitter.com/WKnONPczBL

— Zakir Ali Tyagi (@ZakirAliTyagi) August 30, 2024

5. Political Statements Undermining Secularism

The political statements undermining secularism, as highlighted in the recent incidents, reveal a troubling trend where elected leaders and public officials openly endorse or rationalize communal divisions. Inflammatory remarks by politicians, such as justifying violence against certain communities or framing entire religious groups as threats to national security, exacerbate existing tensions and legitimize acts of hate. For instance, when a prominent political leader suggested that specific religious practices are incompatible with national values, it fuelled a narrative that equates religious identity with disloyalty, fostering an environment where discrimination and violence are seen as patriotic acts. These statements are not merely rhetoric; they signal to supporters that targeting minorities is acceptable, even necessary, to protect the nation. Such political discourse erodes the secular principles enshrined in the Indian Constitution, emboldening fringe elements and undermining efforts to maintain communal harmony. By leveraging communal sentiments for political gain, these leaders contribute to a climate of fear and division, making it increasingly difficult for diverse communities to coexist peacefully.

• September 1, 2024 – Udaipur, Rajasthan

Rajasthan’s Education Minister Madan Dilawar announced that any textbooks glorifying Mughal emperor Akbar and labelling him as “great” will be destroyed. Speaking at an event at the Vivekanand Auditorium in Mohanlal Sukhadia University, Udaipur, Dilawar criticized the comparison of Akbar with Maharana Pratap, arguing that it insults the Rajput warrior and Rajasthan’s pride. He described Maharana Pratap as a steadfast defender who refused to yield, in contrast to Akbar, whom he accused of causing deaths for personal gain. Dilawar condemned any praise of Akbar in educational materials, asserting that such references are detrimental to the heritage of Mewar and Rajasthan. He added that although they have not yet found any textbooks that honour Akbar as “great,” any such instances will result in the destruction of the books, as per Rediff News. Such statements from a government official raise concerns about attempts to rewrite history and promote a singular narrative that marginalizes certain communities.

Erosion of secularism and rule of law:

The incidents highlighted here are not isolated; they are part of a larger, more ominous pattern of communal violence and state complicity. The rise in anti-Muslim rhetoric, coupled with a lack of accountability for those who perpetrate violence, suggests a systematic erosion of the rule of law when it comes to protecting minority rights in India. The government’s silence, and in some cases, active participation in the vilification of Muslims, has emboldened vigilante groups and hate mongers, making life increasingly precarious for Muslims across the country. From inflammatory speeches by political and religious leaders to violent assaults and threats against individuals and religious sites, these incidents signify a breach in the country’s commitment to secularism and communal harmony. Media misrepresentation further exacerbates these tensions, contributing to widespread misinformation and prejudice.

If India is to remain a pluralistic and democratic society, it is imperative that these trends are reversed. This requires not only holding those responsible for hate crimes accountable but also fostering a political and social environment that values inclusivity and rejects bigotry. Without such efforts, the communal fabric of the nation will continue to deteriorate, leading to further violence and division. Addressing this surge in communal hostility requires immediate and concerted efforts from all sectors of society, including strict legal action against perpetrators, responsible media reporting, and proactive measures to foster interfaith dialogue and understanding. Upholding the principles of equality and justice enshrined in the Indian Constitution is imperative to ensuring peace and unity in the nation’s diverse social fabric.

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The post One week of escalating persecution: The intensifying struggles of Muslims in new India appeared first on SabrangIndia.

In the one-minute video, Paul can be seen spewing violent and abusive content against Muslims and their religion. His comments, filled with cuss words and hate speech, had caused widespread outrage. The video also quickly went viral and got concerned responses from the local community.

On Sunday, June 23, after these derogatory remarks on social media local people protested on Sunday and blocked National Highway 17 as demands were made for his arrest.

They blocked the highway in protest and demanded Paul’s arrest. The protest even got was lathi-charged. Officers resorted to lathi-charge and even fired shots to disperse the crowd. Several people, including police personnel, were injured. Some people have also been arrested.

Meanwhile, the main accused involved in the incident, Emon Paul was arrested by the Kokrajhar police. This got a welcome response from the local residents as well as officials of All BTR Minority Students Union (ABMSU).

It should be noted that in the Bagribari region, both Hindu and Muslim communities have been living in harmony for many years.

But this unexpected event has naturally made people worried. Additional police forces have been deployed in the area since the incident. It is notable that such an incident happened soon after the state’s CM’s reportedly hateful remarks against the minority community in a recent statement to the media on June 22, 2024. He called the Muslims in Assam ‘Bangladeshi’ and stated that they are only good at ‘communal activity.’ The BJP chief minister has been notorious for his vitriolic speech against minorities, and even has made statement support casteism in the past, as per reports. Recently, Sarma was also in the news for using 58 crores out of public funds to fund his air travel to and from weddings attended by him.

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The post After politicians, hate speech catches on among citizens in Assam appeared first on SabrangIndia.

1. Senior RSS leader asks Muslims to break Ramzan by drinking cow milk

Even before the month of Ramzan had begun, a speech by senior Rashtriya Swayam Sangh functionary Indresh Kumar asking Muslims to break their fasts with cow milk was made. As per a report of The Print, on March 8, Kumar was speaking at an event organised by the Muslim Rashtriya Manch, an RSS-affiliated organisation, of which he has been a patron for over two decades. The event was organised for the launch of a new book by the organisation called Bharatiya Mussalman: Ekta ka Aadhar (Indian Muslim: the basis of unity). In addition to asking Muslims to drink cow milk, he also urged them to take a pledge to not eat cow meat.

As per the report, Kumar had also asserted upon the common ancestry that Hindus and Muslims share by stating “We can change our religion, a Shyam may become Shahabuddin, but his ancestors remain the same as we have the same ancestors.”

Kumar also asked his majorly Muslim audience to repeat slogans in several languages declaring one’s love for their motherland- Madar-e-Watan in Persian, Bharat Mata ki Jai in Hindi, Vande Mataram in Sanskrit, Ek Hind, Jai Hind in Hindustani, and Love and Salute to Mother India in English.

2. Students offering Ramzan prayers attacked:

On March 18, a group of people stormed the Gujarat University hostel in Ahmedabad late in the evening and attacked international Muslim students who were offering namaz inside the premises, injuring five people during the melee. The said incident had attracted criticism from many for the increasing intolerance and pervasive anti-Muslim environment. It is essential to note that at least five international students were injured in the said assault. As per multiple media reports, the injured students, who were from Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, South Africa and Sri Lanka, were admitted to the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Hospital.

In the next two days following the incident, the Gujarat Police arrested five persons in connection with the mob attack. Out of these, three people – 22-year-old Kshitij Kamlesh Pandey, 31-year-old Jitendra Ghanshyam Patel and 21-year-old Sahil Arunbhai Dudhtiuva – were arrested on Monday, while two others, Hitesh Rakhubhai Mewada and Bharat Damodarbhai Patel, had been arrested on Sunday. The police had booked the accused persons under sections 143, 144, (unlawful assembly), 147, 148,149, (rioting, with deadly weapons, offence committed by members of unlawful assembly), 323, 324 (voluntarily causing hurt, by dangerous weapons), 337 (causing hurt by rash or negligent act), 447 (criminal trespass) of the Indian Penal Code.

While the incident was condemnable itself, the action taken by the authorities in pursuance to the incident was shocking as well. Days after the incident, Gujarat University issued guidelines to international students living in university accommodation and barred them from engaging in “religious activity” in common areas. Multiple media reports provided that a university official had also suggested the incident partly stemmed from a lack of “cultural assimilation” on the part of the foreign students. On April 8, a report of The Wire stated that weeks after the attack on the foreign students for offering namaz on the premises took place, six students from Afghanistan and one from East Africa had been asked to vacate the Gujarat University’s hostel rooms for alleged overstaying.

While there was a wave of criticism in response to the aforementioned incident, some far-right supporters also justified the aforementioned attack by stating that the “act of offering namaz in public hurt the sentiments of Hindus.” Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Dharmendra Bhavani said the same while delivering the hate speech, while also adding that the victims wrote in Urdu. According to Bhavani, the “cadre went to give the International Muslim students a befitting reply through the mob attack, just like the Hindu mob had done during Gujarat riots in 2002.”

The said speech can be accessed here:

Vishwa Hindu Parishad (#VHP) leader #DharmendraBhavani justified the attack on foreign students at #GujaratUniversity. He said namaz at hostel hurt sentiments of #Hindus and accused them of writing in #Urdu. So, their cadre went to give them a reply. He said it was a reaction to… pic.twitter.com/QNHpGPCtu6

— Hate Detector (@HateDetectors) March 17, 2024

3. Harassment of Muslim man by forcibly putting colour on his face

This incident was reported from Thane, Maharashtra as the festival of Holi was being celebrated on March 25. As per a report in the Siasat, a young Muslim auto rickshaw driver who was fasting claimed that a group of people celebrating Holi forcibly made him break his fast as they threw colours and water on his him. According to the report, the driver, Khan Mohammed Kadir, had picked up a female passenger from Kalwa and was on his way to Kharegaon. As they were passing the said area, four to five unidentified men stopped his auto and forcibly applied colours on me. Kadir also stated that “Although I pleaded with them that I was fasting, they did not listen.”

Kadir lodged a complaint at the Kalwa police station. Furthermore, as per the complaint, the group also broke windshield of Kadir’s auto.

The post can be accessed here:

At least five unidentified men were booked for allegedly harassing a #Muslim youth and forcibly putting colours on his face in a nearby locality of #Maharashtra’s #Thane on Monday. The victim, identified as Mohammad Kadir, said he had to break his #Ramzan fast due to the act.… pic.twitter.com/uE5I4wuQwN

— Hate Detector (@HateDetectors) March 26, 2024

4. More incidents of attack on Muslims after evening prayers:

Assault:

On March 31, an incident of assault of minor was report by Hate Detectors on ‘X’. As per the post, a Muslim kid aged 12 was attacked after Taraweeh prayers in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. As per the information provided, the kid had gone for a walk on the Dudheshwar riverfront while wearing a skull cap when the attack on the boy took place. It has been alleged that the perpetrators beat up the child and then fled from the scene. The minor victim had been brought to SVP Hospital pursuant to the attack. A video showing an ambulance coming to the scene of incident has been uploaded on social media.

The video can be accessed here:

This is from #Ahmedabad, #Gujarat.

After Taraweeh prayers, innocent Muslim kid Sufiyan (12) went for a walk on the #Dudheshwar riverfront wearing a skull cap when some extremist attacked the boy, beat him and fled.

The victim Sufiyan has been brought to SVP Hospital. pic.twitter.com/NSyZVGa2Aa

— Hate Detector (@HateDetectors) March 31, 2024

Lynching:
On April 2, a disturbing news emerged from Bahraich area of Uttar Pradesh where a Muslim man named Wakil Ahmed, aged 35, was going killed by a group of unknown people on his way to his home after Tarawih prayer. As per a report in the Siasat, Ahmed was reportedly beaten to death by unidentified persons at around 11 pm in the night.

Videos post the incident were circulated on social media platforms, where the deceased’s naked body is seen lying on the ground with extensive wounds. The said incident led to a big uproar amongst the residents. The video can be viewed here:

Uttar Pradesh: Bahraich,

In the month of #Ramadan Muslim Man Wakil Ahmed (35) was going to his Home at 11 PM after #Tarawih prayer ls when Unknown People killed him by beating him on the way.

Mr Wakil was only earning member in family.#Islamophobia

https://t.co/gnonT7xQkT

— Crime Reports India (@AsianDigest) April 2, 2024

As per the report, Bahraich police officials had launched an investigation into the heinous killing. The police informed the media that the deceased ran a shop and went home late in the evening after closing his shop. According to a senior police official, the body had been sent for post-mortem examination. “We have sent the body for autopsy and a probe has been launched to nab all culprits involved in the heinous crime. Further investigation is underway,” said the police officer. There have been no further updates in this incident.

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The post Targeting Muslims in Ramzan: Lynching, assault, harassment mar the holy month in India appeared first on SabrangIndia.

This year the UN went further in acceding to the demand to appoint a ‘special envoy’ to initiate specific actions to combat Islamophobia. This demand had come from Pakistan again. This was also opposed by many countries. Indian envoy T.S. Tirumurthi while opposing the resolution had stated, “…there was a global rise in sectarian violence, anti-Semitism, Christianophobia, anti-Hindu, Anti Buddhist and anti-Sikh examples abound as well” As per him there is abundance of phobias…” We already know the UN has declared November 16 as the “day of Tolerance” and also highlighted pluralism so another day to combat Islamophobia is unwarranted.

Where does the truth lie? Is there any difference between phobias against other religions and Islamophobia? It is true that at places people of other religions have faced the phobias in many parts of the World. Talking of South Asia we have seen the persecution of Hindus (Tamils) in Sri Lanka and Pakistan in particular. We have also seen the persecution of Christians in Sri Lanka, India and Pakistan. Currently in Taliban ruled Afghanistan Sikhs are facing the worst.

So how is Islamophobia different for which the UN has named March 15 as a day against Islamophobia and appointed a special envoy for the same? Unfortunately current global politics is heavily dominated by identity related issues. Many an ethnic issues like persecution of LTTE has dominated Sri Lankan politics. In India even before global Islamophobia was brought in Muslims were already faced with various types of intimidations and hate, leading to acts of violence against them, so how is Islamophobia different and more intimidating.

Islamophobia, in contrast to other sectarian insanities of persecution and violence was gradually built up from the 1970s when Ayatollah Khomeini took over Iran in the aftermath of the overthrow of US stooge Raza Shah Pahlavi. The US at that time propagated ‘Islam as the new threat’. Why New threat? Till that time US media was projecting Communism as the threat to the free world. The Free World stood for the US dominated World. The US was facing a stiff challenge to its political and economic hegemony from the Socialist Block led by Russia (USSR). The ‘global social common sense’ was perceiving communism as the threat. This was the idea (propagated by the most powerful Country) ruling broad sections of society, proving the adage, ‘ruling ideas are the ideas of ruling class’ (Karl Marx).

With gradual decline of Socialist Russia and its total collapse in early 1990s, the global dominating force needed another demon to fight with. This was also the time when the US was promoting the Madarsas in its stooge country, Pakistan. As per Mahmud Mamdani’s book (Good Muslim Bad Muslim), quoting CIA documents, US not only designed the curriculum of these Madarsas, using a narrow (Wahabi) version of Islam; it also invested 8000 million dollars to support the training of these Mujahideen which gave rise to Taliban and later Al Qaeda. The US equipped them with 7000 tons of armaments including stringer missiles. One small clip by Hillary Clinton says it all, she states that the US needed to fight Russian Communists, they propped up the Taliban and having achieved the exit of Russians, the US washed its hands off.

The US aimed to control the oil wealth of West Asia. Its policies were directed in that direction. The ‘World Trade Centre Attack’ (9/11, 2001) killing nearly 3000 innocent people belonging to most religions and most countries died in this. This was a pretext enough for the US to launch an attack on Afghanistan, in which 60000 people lost their lives. And next to this the attack on Iraq, on the pretext of ‘Weapons of Mass destruction’, which in any way were not to be found after capture of Iraq.

The attack on WTC, claimed to be done by Osama bin Laden and Arab elements, led to the most dangerous construct by US media, ‘Islamic Terrorism’. As the US media is as dominating as its political, economic and military might, this phrase spread all over the World like wildfire. And this is what led to the Global phenomenon of Islamophobia. This ran parallel to one time popular thesis of ‘Clash of Civilization’ by Samuel Huntington. The thesis concluded that this is the era where clash of civilizations will dominate the globe and backward Islamic civilization is out to attack the advanced Western Civilization.

It was this which led to the Murder of a Sikh, mistaken identity, in the US. A US pastor to burn Koran. And this peaked with a film, ‘Innocence of Muslims’ by an American Christian, Nakoula Basseley. Its 14 minute clip was made viral all over the World. This clip showed a mob of bearded modern Muslims attacking the Christians. We also remember the Danish Cartoons, which showed Prophet Mohammad with a bomb in his turban. The impact of all this is not restricted to one part of the globe, nor has Islamophobia disappeared.

The UN did its best to counter the ‘Clash of Civilizations’ thesis. UN Secretary General Kofi Annan had set up a high level committee to examine the clash theory. This high level committee of the UN, which also had an Indian representative, came out with a remarkable report, ‘Alliance if Civilizations’. This put forward the understanding that all human progress has taken place through alliance of different civilizations, cultures and religions. True to the dynamics of the World, dominated by American interests, it was practically ignored by the media, and Islamophobia continued.

In India the problem is the worst confounded as already the communal politics had created hate among different communities. The global Islamophobia as an add on the prevailing Hate against Muslims. During the freedom movement Muslim communalists spread hate against Hindus and Hindu Communalists (Hindu Mahasabha and RSS) spread hate against Muslims. After Independence the Muslims communalists got deflated and Hindu communalists have gone from strength to strength, leading to Islamophobia at multiple levels.

The UN move is a welcome step in bringing peace to the hate and violence torn World today.

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Anti-Islamophobia day

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The incident, which occurred on March 16 around 10:30 PM in the night when some foreign students from Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Sri Lanka, and African countries had gathered to offer Taraweeh (night prayer offered during Ramadan) close to their hostel in Block A of Gujarat University, which is located in Ahmedabad has caused an international uproar.

A serious and embarrassing incident of hate crime has emerged from Gujarat University where five students from overseas have been attacked for offering namaz and also found their rooms vandalised by the mob. Pertinently, Sri Lankan and Tajik student, one each, were badly injured in the attack, and had to be hospitalised. As bad as the violence on the person was the fact that the mob vandalised AC, phones, laptops, and motorcycles of the students and several videos of the incident has seen been doing rounds on X (formerly Twitter).

In one of the videos that emerged the mob can be seen pelting stones and other material from the ground while verbally abusing foreign national and shouting “Jai Shree Ram”. The nature of the hate crime in the present case suggests not only communal hatred but also xenophobia and racism, as apparent from the sloganeering and curses hurled at the foreign students, which is captured on record.

According to other students from overseas, who witnessed the episode, the incident happened when some foreign students were offering the Taraweeh in the open area near their hostel in Block A of Gujarat University around 10: 30 PM in night when few people started objecting to them and kept shouting “Jai Shree Ram”. Thereafter they left briefly following the argument before returning back with the huge mob of around 25 people, equipped with knifes and iron rods, which started vandalising the hostel rooms, motor cycles and also attacked some of the foreign students, in which the two students were hospitalised. The five students from African countries, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and Sri Lanka were injured in total.

When the mob first arrived the security guard tried to stop them but soon found himself overpowered by the mob who went on the rampage, destroying the property and attacking the students. In another video, the student can be heard saying that though the police arrived later (around 5 minutes after it received the call at 10:51 PM, as per the Commissioner of Police G S Malik) on the scene they did not detain the members of the mob who could be seen running away at the time in the full presence of the police.

Following the incident, the Commissioner of Police G S Malik has given the statement in which he said that the incident involved around 20-25 people, who were outsiders, and it began after the argument ensued between the two groups. He informed that the FIR has been register against 25 people and the state government is cognizant of the matter. The Hindustan Times reported that the FIR has been registered under Indian Penal Code provisions for rioting, unlawful assembly, voluntarily causing hurt, damage to property and criminal trespass, among others.

On March 17, Ahmedabad Police tweeted that it has arrested two accused in the matter, namely, Hitesh Mevada and Bharat Patel. Ahmedabad City Police Commissioner, G S Malik is on record stating that nine teams have been formed to conduct a probe into the incident. Along with Hitesh Mevada and Bharat Patel, other accused arrested by the police include Shitij Pandey, Jitendra Patel and Sunil Dudhirua. Notably, the accused have not been identified with any political or socio-religious group as of now.

Shockingly, the GU VC Neerja Gupta instead of downrightly condemning the incident was quoted by NDTV suggesting that cultural sensitivity must be inculcated in foreign students! “These are foreign students and when you go abroad, you must learn cultural sensitivity. These students need an orientation. We will sit with them, provide cultural orientation and discuss how to strengthen their security” NDTV reported.

Response from the Authorities

The injured students reportedly came to study in India under the Indian Council for Cultural Research (ICCR) scholarship, which comes under the Ministry of External Affairs. The MEA in the statement has acknowledged the incident and noted that the “State government is taking strict action against the perpetrators.” It further informed that one of the students has been discharged from the hospital after receiving medical attention.

Gujarat University (GU) has informed that international students will be shifted to another hostel meant for NRIs in three days, and will strengthen its security arrangements for the hostels. Additionally, GU VC Neerja Gupta was reported saying that the university has replaced the coordinator of its study abroad programme and NRI hostel warden with immediate effect. She also suggested that “there was some tension between those in the mob and some overseas students, and yesterday’s events led to an escalation”. BBC quoted the Vice Chancellor as saying, “’As per the information available with me, this (prayers) is not the main issue’”. The VC seems to deny that the incident had anything to with player.

In the past similar incidents have occurred in the University was confirmed by one foreign student. Noman, a student from Afghanistan, told BBC Gujarati that similar incidents have happened before. “There is a lot of risk here for students from other countries,” he alleged.

Rising instances of intolerance in Gujarat

Earlier in December 2022, the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda’s Sanskrit Mahavidyalaya was in the news when two students had offered namaz on the premise. The university authorities suggested counselling of the students to make them understand that religious worship should not be conduct in the educational institutions. Right-wing group Vishwa Hindu Parishad had gone to the place and sprinkled Gangajal to purify the place and performed ram-dhun, alleging Islamic conspiracy behind offering the namaz.

Similarly, in June 2023, two men from Nagaland were attacked for selling ‘North Eastern’ food in Ahmedabad. Reportedly, 10 men attacked them saying how could they sell non-vegetarian food items and north-eastern food in a place like Gujarat which is dominated by Hindus, reported Times of India.

In October 2023, Kalorex school teacher was beaten by protestors for teaching students to offer namaz as part of religious activity. The school had even clarified that it did similar activities for different religions for all students.

Perhaps, today the extent of hate has reached such a threshold that simply exchanging different values and traditions itself has become intolerant. With its long history of communal violence, the state of Gujarat has presented one more instance of hate crime in its troubled relationship with establishing communal harmony.

(The author is part of the CJP’s Legal Research Team)

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The post Hate crime committed against foreign students in Gujarat University appeared first on SabrangIndia.

According to the analysis, fake news spreads misinformation about changing demography by implicitly showing that the Muslim population is fast-rising. The tone of media has been so anti-Muslim that 87 per cent of the fact-checked contents, out of 211 stories, were related to religious groups and it targeted Muslims.

Shockingly, the recent brute military exercise of Israel against the impoverished Palestinians was also used by the Indian media to spread anti-Muslim sentiments. Fake and doctored graphics and videos have been shown by the media to create an impression that Muslims are “violent” and they are a threat to “peace” and “democracy”. In several doctored videos, the beheading of the children and execution of the prisoners have been shown.

In other contexts, the media used videos imported from outside India to depict Indian Muslims. The aim was to malign the image of Muslims and create a ground for anti-Muslim sentiments. They all contributed to keeping the fire of the Islamophobic narrative aflame.

It is feared that India is emerging as one of the centres producing Islamophobic content. Even in some videos, the story of Rohingya Muslims was spread in which it was claimed that these Rohingya Muslims were pretending to be “Hindus”. But the Book Live fact check found the whole story misleading and malicious in its approach.

Those who have so far denied the prevalence of hate news and the rising Islamophobia in India, should seriously read Boom’s report. Not to talk of so-called communal media, even a large number of “reputed” mainstream media with wider reach have been found guilty of spreading hatred and misinformation about Muslims. Apart from these, they were in the habit of publishing content in favour of the establishment.

Even a pure matter of science and technology was used to spread hatred against Muslims. For example, when the Chandrayaan-3 satellite was successfully sent onto the moon, contents targeting Muslims were widely disseminated. Propaganda was made that Muslims were “anti-science”, “religious” and “fanatic” in outlook, which is responsible for their “backwardness”. It was also an occasion to question the “patriotism” of the Indian Muslims. For example, a fact-checked story of the Boom Live shows that fake news was spread in which the media showed Kashmiri students beating other students who were celebrating the success of Chandrayaan-3. However, the true story was that a fight among the students broke out over the issue of violating the queue in the university canteen at Mewar University and not over the satellite.

To sum up, the contents of the news stories analysed by Boom Live have again been found to be spreading misinformation, sensationalism, communalism, and anti-Muslim hatred. Such contents contribute to promoting Islamophobia.

To understand Islamophobic discourse, Jewish-born scholar Edward Said can be a great help. Former professor of Comparative Literature at Columbia University and Palestinian Arab Edward Said wrote the path breaking book “Orientalism” (1978). In his work, he was right to argue that the Western media and knowledge system had been in the habit of misrepresenting Arab Muslims.

According to Said, the Western media distorted the reality of the Arabs. The Arab Muslims were shown to be “the perversion” of the people living in the West. According to the Western binary, Arab Muslims were shown to be “barbaric”, “fanatic”, “religious”, “cowardly”, “anti-modern”, and “anti-secular” while those living in the West were praised as “liberal”, “rational”, “scientific”, “brave”, and “modern”.

During the 1973 Arab-Israel war, Edward Said was shocked to see the way the Western media spread misinformation, sensationalism, and misinformation about Arab Muslims. Since he had a lived experience of growing up in the Arab region, he was not able to accept the images and stereotypes produced by the powerful Western media about Muslim Arabs.

This was the immediate context when Edward Said began seriously engaging with the question of the representation of Arab Muslims and the East in Western media and scholarship. Soon, he was able to give a concept of “Orientalism”, which, according to him, is a systematic way of misrepresenting and violating the reality, image, and whole history of the Occident by Western scholars.

Three years later in 1981, Said wrote another important book “Covering Islam”. The subtitle of the book is self-explanatory: “How the media and the experts determine how we see the rest of the world. Following the Iranian Revolution (1979), Said began to look deeply into the way the Western media covered the Arab and Islamic world. Soo Said concluded: “The coverage of Islam by the Western media is misleading and inaccurate, characterized by ethnocentrism, cultural and even racial hatred, deep yet paradoxically free-floating hostility” (ibid, p. li).

The framework that Edward Said gave to study the Arab and Muslim world, can be extended in India to explore how the Muslim minority is being misrepresented by Indian media. While the Orientalist discourse has projected the East as the “another” of the West, similarly the minority community is demonized as “alien” of the mainstream society by the communal media.

There is strong evidence to show that the communal discourse within India heavily borrows Orientalist tools. The communal media, like Orientalist discourse, is in the habit of creating a binary between the majority Hindu community and the minority Muslim community. It ignores history and presents a monolithic picture. It bypasses social and economic conflicts within cultural diversity.

Given the similarity, I would like to place before you the term “internal Orientalism” to explain the phenomenon of the misrepresentation of the minority within a nation-state. The content analysis of Boom Live over the years shows a persistent atmosphere of anti-Muslim discourse created and maintained by the Indian media and state-sponsored scholars.

Like the Orientalist discourse, internal Orientalist discourse creates a similar binary in India in which the majority Hindu community is shown to be “liberal”, “progressive”, “law-abiding”, “nationalist”, and “peace-loving”, while the minority Muslims are demonized as “backward”, “fanatic”, and “anti-national”, “violent”, “cruel”, “anti-women”, “lustful” and “untrustworthy”, who works as a burden for the nation. The concept of “internal Orientalism”, therefore, needs to be explored further to capture the rising anti-minority venom and launch a democratic struggle to counter it.

(The author is a Delhi-based journalist. He has taught political sciences at NCWEB Centres of Delhi University.)

The post The “Internal Orientalism” of Indian Media  appeared first on SabrangIndia.

This crime gripped the capital the very next day after police brutality had been unleashed on women wrestlers protesting Delhi police inaction in registering an FIR against BJP politician and Member of Parliament, Brij Bhushan Singh.

The 16-year-old victim girl of murder, was heading for the birthday of her friend’s son when Sahil confronted her and stabbed her multiple times. The incident took place in the Shahbad Dairy area of Rohini, North Delhi. The shocking CCTV footage shows Sahil stabbing Sakshi as many as 20 times after which she falls on the floor. The knife even got stuck into the victim’s skull, following which, Sahil picked up a boulder lying nearby and smashed her head five times. All the while, around 5-6  bystanders could also be seen passing by casually even as the gruesome incident is taking place, without helping the victim.

In unusually prompt action, the accused Sahil has been arrested by the police in Uttar Pradesh’s Bulandshahar. A FIR under Section 302 of the IPC at PS Shahbad Dairy, has also been registered against Sahil. Reportedly, the 20-year-old was a fridge-AC repairing mechanic, and was in a relationship with the minor victim. The couple had an argument a day before, the resultant of which was this grisly murder.

As reported by ANI, Suman Nalwa, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Delhi gave the following statement upon the accused’s arrest, “We will make sure that the maximum punishment is given to the accused.”

Response to the tragedy

The incident drew flak from Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief Swati Maliwal, who said Delhi has become “extremely unsafe” for women and also issued a notice to the city police over the murder of the minor girl.

“In Delhi’s Shahbad Dairy, a minor innocent doll was stabbed and then crushed with a stone. The spirits of the criminals in Delhi are high. Issuing notice to the police. All limits have been crossed. I have never seen anything more horrifying than this in my career of so many years,” tweeted Swati Maliwal, the DCW chairperson.

The post can be viewed here:

दिल्ली के शाहबाद डेरी में एक नाबालिग मासूम गुड़िया को चाकू गोद-गोदकर मारा गया और उसके बाद पत्थर से उसे कुचल दिया गया। दिल्ली में दरिंदों के हौसले बुलंद हैं। पुलिस को नोटिस जारी कर रहे हैं। सब हदें पार हो गई हैं। मैंने अपने इतने सालों के करियर में इससे ज़्यादा भयानक कुछ नहीं देखा। pic.twitter.com/0kC4ht4q1f

— Swati Maliwal (@SwatiJaiHind) May 29, 2023

Maliwal further went on to say that the national capital has become “extremely unsafe for women and girls,” and she urged the Central government to convene a “high-level meeting” with Union home minister Amit Shah and the city’s lieutenant governor VK Saxena.

“A 16-year-old girl was stabbed 40-50 times and then was hit by a stone multiple times after which she died. All this has been captured on CCTV. Several people saw this but did not pay heed. Delhi has become extremely unsafe for women and girls. I appeal to the central govt to call a high-level meeting with Union home minister, Delhi lieutenant governor”, she said.

The video can be viewed here:

#WATCH मैंने इतना डराने वाला केस कभी नहीं देखा। दिल्ली महिलाओं और बच्चियों के लिए बहुत ही असुरक्षित और असंवेदनशील है।…जिस दिन इस देश की पुलिस व्यवस्था सुधर जाएगी उस दिन किसी की हिम्मत नहीं होगी कि किसी भी महिला या बच्ची के खिलाफ कुछ भी कर जाए, आज जो हो रहा है वे पूरी तरह से… pic.twitter.com/IfUGbI0pW1

— ANI_HindiNews (@AHindinews) May 29, 2023

Meanwhile, a blame game started between the Delhi administration and Lieutenant Governor. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal took a dig at LG V.K. Saxena, pointing out that law and order is his responsibility.

“A minor girl was brutally murdered in Delhi. This is very sad and unfortunate. The criminals have become fearless, there is no fear of the police. LG sir, law and order is your responsibility, do something,” the CM tweeted.

The post can be viewed here:

दिल्ली में खुलेआम एक नाबालिग बच्ची की बेरहमी से हत्या कर दी जाती है। ये बेहद दुखद और दुर्भाग्यपूर्ण है। अपराधी बेख़ौफ़ हो गए हैं, पुलिस का कोई डर ही नहीं है।

LG साहब, क़ानून व्यवस्था आपकी ज़िम्मेदारी है, कुछ कीजिए। दिल्ली के लोगों की सुरक्षा सबसे महत्वपूर्ण है। https://t.co/3i1eLoYYqv

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) May 29, 2023

AAP leader Atishi too hit out at Lieutenant Governor, saying the Constitution has given the L-G the “responsibility of protecting people” of the Union territory.

She tweeted: “I want to remind the L-G that the Constitution has given him the responsibility of protecting the people of Delhi. But he spends all his time to halt the work of Arvind Kejriwal. I request the L-G with folded hands to pay attention to the safety of the women of Delhi as they are not safe here at all.”

The post can be viewed here:

यह ख़ौफ़नाक हत्या देख कर रूह काँप उठी।

मैं @LtGovDelhi को याद दिलाना चाहती हूँ कि संविधान ने उन्हें दिल्ली के लोगों की सुरक्षा की ज़िम्मेदारी दी है। परंतु वे अपना सारा समय @ArvindKejriwal के काम रोकने में लगाते हैं।

मेरा LG साहब से हाथ जोड़ कर निवेदन है कि दिल्ली की महिलाओं की… https://t.co/1ce5x12uX2

— Atishi (@AtishiAAP) May 29, 2023

Fodder for the Right wing

Even as this horrific incident had all right-thinking persons condemning it, much like at the time of the Shraddha Walker murder case, the Hindu right wingers have given a communal angle to this whole incident since the couple were in an inter-faith relationship. Many extremist hindu right-wingers have now used the opportunity to promote their bogey issue of so-called “love-jihad” — a term used to describe the alleged efforts of Muslims to convert Hindu women through marriage. Delhi BJP leader Kapil Mishra took no time to get the balls rolling on ‘love jihad’ in the case, and asked who the mastermind was behind Sahil’s brutal behaviour.

Posting a picture of Sahil after arrest, Mishra wrote, “This is Mohammad Sahil s/o Sarfaraz. This monster mercilessly killed a minor Hindu girl by stabbing her in Delhi. How is Kalava in the hands of this Sahil? This is love jihad. This is a planned attack against daughters. Who is Sahil’s master mind?”

The post can be viewed here:

ये है मोहम्मद साहिल s/o सरफ़राज़

इसी हैवान ने दिल्ली में नाबालिग हिंदू लड़की को बेरहमी से चाकुओं से गोद गोद कर मार डाला

इस साहिल के हाथ में कलावा कैसे ?

ये लव जिहाद है

ये बेटियों के ख़िलाफ़ सुनियोजित हमला है

साहिल के मास्टर माइंड कौन है ? pic.twitter.com/3S2ucmSDy8

— Kapil Mishra (@KapilMishra_IND) May 29, 2023

Even as Altnews journalist, Mohammed Zubair fact-checked and clarified the fact that the thread on the wrist of Sahil Sarfaraz is the thread that Sufi Muslims wear, and not a Kalava that Hindus wear, Kapil Mishra deemed it as a conspiracy to disguise Sahil as a Hindu. Some have deemed this act as Islamic Barbarism.

While this communal angle gets more fire and more people start using it as an instrument to attack the Muslim community, it is crucial to ensure that the focus remains on hold the Delhi administration and the Delhi police accountable and justice is ensured in this case.

Related:

Protests erupt at Delhi police violent crackdown on Women Wrestlers, FIR, and nationwide outrage

Protesting wrestlers manhandled by drunk Delhi police officer at night, supporters and journalists detained

Gujarat: Kajal Hindusthani delivers two anti-Muslim speeches, urges Hindu women to take up arms

Hatebuster: The real identity of the man supporting the accused Aaftab revealed!

Hatebuster: 80% of interfaith marriages do not end up in murder!

The post Ghastly murder of a minor girl on street fuels communal fire: Delhi appeared first on SabrangIndia.

The Distortion Continues 

Let’s not forget, how Kashmir Files was labeled as “propaganda” and “vulgar” by the head of the jury at the 53rd International Film Festival held in Goa, has stirred outrage in India and Israel. While the film’s makers claimed it to be an honest portrayal of the subject matter, it soon proved out to be an attempt to come up with a propaganda film thus trivializing the truth by marketing the object of hate .The head of the jury, Nadav Lapid, has stood by his initial diagnosis of the film despite the backlash it has received. However, as the head of the jury, it is his responsibility to evaluate the films objectively and provide an honest assessment of their quality.

While it is important to acknowledge and address issues faced by various communities, films that use distorted narratives and sensationalize situations for propaganda purposes can only cause more harm than good. We see the distortion continues with the advent of ‘The Kerala Story’. The filmmakers have made a baseless claim that 32,000 Hindu girls have been converted and are part of the Islamic State, without any credible source to back up their assertion. The filmmakers’ fantasy about Kerala, claiming the film to be based on a true story, is clearly meant for propaganda purposes. The film’s narrative appears to be aimed at creating a false image of the state, promoting communal tensions and creating division among communities.

When Cinema is used to spread hate ?

The use of art to spread misinformation and propaganda is a disturbing trend that needs to be addressed by the authorities. Such films have the potential to create long-term damage by fueling hate and creating divisions that take years to heal. We still see the effect of Kashmir Files and it will continue to contaminate in the coming times and similar will be the story of The Kerala Story. The film claims that 32,000 Hindu girls were converted by the Islamic State. However, the paper by Adil Rasheed titled ‘Why fewer Indians have joined ISIS’ sheds light on the issue of Indian recruits to the Islamic State gives a different story. According to the paper, there are about 40,000 recruits to the Islamic State across the world, with the majority of them coming from Iraq, Afghanistan, Russia, Tunisia, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, France, and other Middle Eastern and European countries.

In contrast, the paper reveals that less than 100 Indian migrants ever left for Islamic State territories in Syria and Afghanistan, and about 155 were detained for having links with it. This indicates that the number of Indian recruits to the Islamic State is significantly lower than that of other countries. The paper also touched on the reasons behind the low number of Indian recruits to the Islamic State. These reasons are both varied and complex. One possible explanation is that India is a predominantly Hindu country, with a large Muslim minority. The paper suggests that Indian Muslims have largely rejected the extremist ideology of the Islamic State and have instead chosen to embrace mainstream Islam. At such a helm of affair movies like The Kerala Story are nothing but an attempt to spread hate using the platform of art and films.

Wrapping up 

As responsible citizens, it is our duty to ensure that we do not fall prey to such propaganda and instead work towards building a harmonious and inclusive society. We must be vigilant in identifying and opposing propaganda films that are created to spread hate and misinformation. At the same time, it is important for filmmakers to be responsible and sensitive towards the subject matter they choose to portray in their films. The use of art to spread hate and division can have serious consequences for our society and must be strongly condemned. It is our collective responsibility to ensure that propaganda films that seek to spread misinformation and create communal tensions do not gain any traction.

(Mohd Ziyaullah Khan is a Sr. Content Writer/Content Head in an IT & Digital Marketing Company in Nagpur)

Courtesy: https://countercurrents.org

The post The Kerala Story: When Cinema Becomes the Tool to Spread Hate appeared first on SabrangIndia.