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ISLAMABAD: Islamophobia and hate speech against minorities have seen a sharp increase in Kerala, India, Maktoob Media reported on Monday.&nbsp; Citing data compiled by the Islamophobia Research Collective (IRC), the report said at least 909 incidents of Islamophobia, including hate speech, discriminatory actions and prejudicial campaigns were documented in the state between Jan. 2025 and March 2026.&nbsp; Of these, 659 incidents were recorded in 2025, while 250 more were reported in the first three months of 2026 alone, showing a sharp increase in Islamophobia. The reports by Maktoob Media and Madhyamam News said the incidents were not limited to isolated remarks.&nbsp; Instead, the documentation described a broader pattern of inflammatory rhetoric, discriminatory mobilization and coordinated prejudicial campaigns targeting Muslim leaders, organizations, religious symbols and places.&nbsp;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2041327850389696584&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fdashboard%2F&sessionId=bc7437aa505acff146a41911dbb9b72fe3304f9d&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 897px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>Madhyamam said the findings pointed to an &ldquo;unprecedented rise&rdquo; in hate speech aimed at Muslims in Kerala.&nbsp; Among those named in the documentation, right wing party, SNDP Yogam&rsquo;s general secretary Vellappally Natesan was said to have topped the list with at least 60 hate speeches in 2025.&nbsp; Political commentator Adv A Jayashankar and BJP leader PC George were also listed among those with more than 50 instances each.&nbsp; Maktoob further reported that members of the ruling Left, including ministers and MLAs from the Left Democratic Front(LDF), were also cited in the documentation, indicating that the problem cuts across political lines. A major part of the criticism concerns police inaction.&nbsp; According to both reports, IRC member Baburaj Bhagavathy said many complaints were either never filed or did not lead to meaningful police action even when submitted.&nbsp; Bhagavaty said this was especially troubling because the Supreme Court has directed authorities to take suo motu cognizance of hate speech, yet many such cases in Kerala allegedly saw no action.&nbsp;The complainants have been facing difficulties themselves, reportedly.&nbsp; Raihanath Kappan, the wife of Kerala-based journalist Siddique Kappan, who was arrested while attempting to cover the Hathras rape case in 2020, said multiple complaints she filed over alleged hate propaganda on YouTube were not registered.&nbsp; Another case involved writer KR Indira, whose past anti-Muslim remarks had drawn complaints, but where follow-p action was allegedly weak. Maktoob also said activist Usman Kattappana, who criticised those remarks, was himself booked by police.&nbsp; With Kerala already in election mode ahead of April 9 polling, Bhagavathy warned that Islamophobic campaigns could see a spike during the campaign period.&nbsp;That has raised fresh concerns about communal rhetoric and weak enforcement in a state often seen as more socially progressive than much of India.&nbsp;

India

Islamophobia in Kerala is rising sharply, with 909 documented incidents since Jan. 2025, as reports allege growing hate speech, cross-party involvement, and weak police action despite Supreme Court directives.


India's Kerala state records over 900 Islamophobic incidents since 2025: Report

ISLAMABAD: A sessions court in Varanasi has denied bail to 14 Muslim men who were arrested after having iftari -- a meal to break the fast during Ramadan -- on a boat on the Ganges River. Critics of civil liberties are expressing concern that the case is becoming a significant example of communalized prosecution and pre-trial punishment. According to a report by the Indian Express on Thursday, the men were accused after videos of the March 15 gathering circulated online; they were arrested days later, remanded to judicial custody, denied bail by a magistrate on March 23, and denied bail again by the sessions court on April 1.&nbsp;The original allegation was that the group ate chicken biryani during iftar on the river and threw bones or food waste into the Ganges, hurting Hindu religious sentiments and disturbing communal harmony. <div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 2;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=eyJ0ZndfdGltZWxpbmVfbGlzdCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOltdLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X2ZvbGxvd2VyX2NvdW50X3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9iYWNrZW5kIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19yZWZzcmNfc2Vzc2lvbiI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZm9zbnJfc29mdF9pbnRlcnZlbnRpb25zX2VuYWJsZWQiOnsiYnVja2V0Ijoib24iLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X21peGVkX21lZGlhXzE1ODk3Ijp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRyZWF0bWVudCIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZXhwZXJpbWVudHNfY29va2llX2V4cGlyYXRpb24iOnsiYnVja2V0IjoxMjA5NjAwLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X3Nob3dfYmlyZHdhdGNoX3Bpdm90c19lbmFibGVkIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19kdXBsaWNhdGVfc2NyaWJlc190b19zZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdXNlX3Byb2ZpbGVfaW1hZ2Vfc2hhcGVfZW5hYmxlZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdmlkZW9faGxzX2R5bmFtaWNfbWFuaWZlc3RzXzE1MDgyIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRydWVfYml0cmF0ZSIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfbGVnYWN5X3RpbWVsaW5lX3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9mcm9udGVuZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9fQ%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2039345830126334102&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fmedia-library%2F&sessionId=ad6099de673681cafc55cfa6b48b11e690357ac6&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 825px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>The complaint was filed by Rajat Jaiswal, a local BJP youth-wing leader, and the case quickly escalated from a local dispute into a broader communal controversy. Prosecutors invoked a wide range of charges, including promoting enmity, public nuisance, insulting religious feelings, and other provisions linked to public order and alleged pollution. While refusing bail, the Sessions Court said that the posting of the event on social media, prima facie, suggested an intention to affect social harmony, particularly in a sensitive religious atmosphere. The miscarriage-of-justice concern arises from the contested nature of the evidence and the overtly religious framing of the case from the beginning. The Wire reported that the complainant&rsquo;s version shifted over time on whether bones were actually thrown into the river, while an independent review cited in that report said the viral videos did not clearly show waste being dumped. <div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 2;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2039586123614494956&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fmedia-library%2F&sessionId=ad6099de673681cafc55cfa6b48b11e690357ac6&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 737px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> The same report said defense lawyers argued that the accused were falsely implicated, that the complainant was not an eyewitness, and that no chicken or bones were recovered from the site. Taken together, the case has come to symbolize how an iftar gathering by Muslim youths can be rapidly recast as a criminal and communal provocation, with severe charges and prolonged incarceration preceding any final adjudication of guilt. Whether the prosecution ultimately proves its case or not, the controversy has already raised serious questions about selective enforcement, evidentiary standards, and the role of religion in policing public space in contemporary India.

Fourteen Muslim men remain jailed in Varanasi after a fast-breaking meal along the Ganges was criminalized, raising concerns over weak evidence, communal framing, selective enforcement, and religion-based targeting in India.

Jailed for breaking fast on Ganges: 14 Muslim men denied bail in India

<strong style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700; color: rgb(65, 65, 65); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;" id="isPasted">ISLAMABAD: Maharashtra&rsquo;s proposed Freedom of Religion Bill has drawn criticism from civil society groups, minority organizations, and church bodies, which say the measure could deepen pressure on Muslims and other minorities by expanding state and police scrutiny over religious conversion and interfaith relationships. According to The Times of India, the bill proposes prison terms of up to seven years and fines for what the state describes as &ldquo;unlawful religious conversions&rdquo;, including those linked to coercion, fraud or marriage.&nbsp; The report said offences under the proposed law would be cognizable and non-bailable. The Economic Times reported that the bill defines unlawful conversion broadly, including conversion through allurement, deceit, force, misrepresentation, threat, undue influence or fraud, and said such conversions would be treated as null and void. &#39;Anti-love jihad&#39; lawA separate report by The Times of India said the bill requires prior notice before conversion, allows objections to be raised, and places the burden of proof on the accused to show that a conversion was voluntary.&nbsp; The report added that relatives and other persons could lodge complaints, triggering police action. The political language surrounding the bill has added to the concern.&nbsp; The New Indian Express reported that the measure explicitly covers conversions through marriage and provides for tougher penalties in certain cases.&nbsp; Further causing alarm, Maharashtra minister Nitesh Rane described it publicly as an &ldquo;anti-love jihad&rdquo; law.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2033063620129730987&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2Fnew%2F&sessionId=c464e5de9888d09f58d326e7e3d235c5a3269724&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 780px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>That claim itself has been disputed at the national level.&nbsp; In a written reply to the Parliament in 2020, India&rsquo;s home ministry said the term &ldquo;love jihad&rdquo; is not defined under existing laws and that no such case had been reported by central agencies. Opposition has also come from outside party politics.&nbsp; A joint press note carried by Indian Currents said civil society groups had called for wider consultation and warned that such legislation could criminalize personal choice and weaken constitutional freedoms. Critics quoted by various Indian media outlets say the concern is that the bill may be used less to prevent coercion and more to reinforce a wider Hindutva-driven climate in which interfaith relationships involving Muslims are increasingly treated with suspicion, complaint, and legal risk.

Maharashtra’s proposed Freedom of Religion Bill has triggered concern among minority and civil society groups, who say it could widen scrutiny of conversions and interfaith ties, especially involving Muslims.

Maharashtra ‘religion’ bill draws concern over minority rights in India

ISLAMABAD: On the International Day to Combat Islamophobia on March 15, the prime minister and the president of Pakistan called for increased global cooperation to fight discrimination against Muslims and safeguard religious freedoms. In a message issued on Sunday by the President&#39;s Office, President Asif Ali Zardari said the day, observed following a resolution of the United Nations General Assembly, was an opportunity to stand &ldquo;against hatred, discrimination and intolerance directed at Muslims worldwide.&rdquo; &lsquo;Respect for religious diversity&rsquo;&nbsp;&ldquo;The day calls attention to the rise in prejudice and violence faced by Muslim communities and to the need for tolerance and respect for religious diversity,&rdquo; the president said. Recalling the Christchurch mosque shootings in New Zealand on March 15, 2019, he noted that the tragedy &ldquo;shocked the conscience of humanity.&rdquo; The president said Islamophobia manifests through &ldquo;hate speech, discrimination, attacks on religious symbols and places of worship,&rdquo; adding that such acts &ldquo;violate fundamental human rights and run counter to the basic principle that all people deserve equal treatment under the law.&rdquo; He emphasized that &ldquo;Islam teaches peace, compassion and justice,&rdquo; and said that &ldquo;attempts to link Islam with extremism or violence reflect ignorance and weaken efforts to promote dialogue and mutual understanding among civilizations.&rdquo; &lsquo;Free and equal&rsquo;Highlighting international human rights standards, the president said the Universal Declaration of Human Rights affirms that all people are born &ldquo;free and equal in dignity and rights,&rdquo; and that everyone is entitled to these rights without distinction, including religion. He added that Pakistan &ldquo;has ratified several human rights conventions&rdquo; and continues to raise the issue of Islamophobia at international forums. &ldquo;Freedom of expression is a fundamental right, but it carries responsibility. It must not be used to incite hatred or division,&rdquo; the president said.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2032980068730048907&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=b6d38365a2cf36976d856bbda67d4eed7ba70976&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 873px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;"></iframe></div></div>Pakistan condemns Islamophobia: PMMeanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Pakistan has consistently raised its voice against Islamophobia globally. The prime minister said that&nbsp;the International Day to Combat Islamophobia is a global voice in condemning prejudice against Islam and Muslims.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-2" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-2&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2033079421460955454&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=b6d38365a2cf36976d856bbda67d4eed7ba70976&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 897px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;"></iframe></div></div>He added that the UN resolution on combating Islamophobia &ldquo;discourages discriminatory and hateful behavior against Muslims worldwide,&rdquo; stressing that &ldquo;civilized societies do not discriminate in human rights on the basis of beliefs, but are based on mutual respect and sacrifice.&rdquo; Sharif said Pakistan &ldquo;condemns all forms of Islamophobia,&rdquo; adding that &ldquo;the religion of Islam is a message of peace and harmony for all mankind,&rdquo; and that &ldquo;attributing Islam to extremist views is blatant ignorance.&rdquo; Pakistan committed to eliminating Islamophobia: DarIn a separate message, Pakistan Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Senator Ishaq Dar said Pakistan remains firmly committed to advancing international efforts to counter Islamophobia.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; 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visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 925px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;"></iframe></div></div>&ldquo;We are working with OIC Member States and the UN Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia on the development of a UN Plan of Action that would provide a structured framework to understand better, prevent, and eliminate this challenge,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp; Dar stressed that the international community must stand united in condemning Islamophobia while also addressing the structural conditions that allow it to flourish. &nbsp; &ldquo;Pakistan calls upon all nations to undertake sustained efforts to promote mutual respect, dialogue, and understanding among communities, and to uphold the values of tolerance, dignity, and peaceful coexistence,&rdquo; he added.

Foreign Affairs

President Asif Ali Zardari says the International Day to Combat Islamophobia on March 15 calls attention to the rise in prejudice and violence faced by Muslim communities and to the need for tolerance and respect for religious diversity.

Pakistan president, PM urge global cooperation to combat Islamophobia

ISLAMABAD: The Gauhati High Court on Thursday issued notice to Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma in petitions alleging that his public remarks amount to hate speech and risk deepening communal fault lines in the state, Indian media reported.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2027256926816665699&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2Fnew%2F&sessionId=fd61e5be61ba26b197f659eb10f4a6d0943c41ea&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 897px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>The notice, in a batch of PIL (public interest litigation) type matters, asks the respondents to file their responses before the court takes up the merits, an early but significant procedural step in a case that has been building for years around Sarma&rsquo;s rhetoric and governance choices that critics describe as explicitly Islamophobic, Telegraph India said. The petitions come amid a fresh round of outrage over statements attributed to Sarma about the &ldquo;Miya&rdquo; community, an identity marker often used for Bengali-origin Assamese Muslims. In recent weeks, his comments have been widely reported and condemned by opposition parties and Muslim organisations as encouraging harassment and social targeting.&nbsp; A related legal escalation followed soon after. Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind moved the Supreme Court over the &ldquo;Miya&rdquo; remarks, framing them as divisive speech directed at an already vulnerable group.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2019347718116897242&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2Fnew%2F&sessionId=fd61e5be61ba26b197f659eb10f4a6d0943c41ea&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 648px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>That flashpoint sits atop a longer political arc. Since taking office in 2021, Sarma has repeatedly leaned into culture-war framing around Muslims, including frequent invocations of &ldquo;love jihad&rdquo; and &ldquo;land jihad&rdquo;, terms used by Hindu nationalist politicians to suggest conspiracies behind interfaith relationships or land possession.&nbsp;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-2" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-2&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1820289979484152113&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2Fnew%2F&sessionId=fd61e5be61ba26b197f659eb10f4a6d0943c41ea&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 747px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>His government has spoken of stricter legal measures in &ldquo;love jihad&rdquo; cases, and he has publicly signaled an appetite for expanding enforcement in ways that civil liberties groups argue stigmatise Muslim citizens by default. Critics also point to policy actions whose impact has fallen heavily on Muslims, especially Bengali-speaking families. Large-scale eviction drives, officially justified as anti-encroachment and protection of government or forest land, have repeatedly displaced thousands, with reporters documenting that many affected families are Muslim.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-3" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-3&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1978073626600493322&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2Fnew%2F&sessionId=fd61e5be61ba26b197f659eb10f4a6d0943c41ea&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 720px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>Opponents allege selective enforcement and political messaging that paints these communities as &ldquo;outsiders&rdquo; or &ldquo;infiltrators,&rdquo; while the government maintains it is acting against illegal occupation and demographic pressure. The controversy intensified further after the Assam BJP unit posted&mdash;and later deleted&mdash;an AI-generated video depicting violence against Muslims, a development that opponents argue helped normalise dehumanising imagery in mainstream politics.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-4" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-4&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2020181033665327320&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2Fnew%2F&sessionId=fd61e5be61ba26b197f659eb10f4a6d0943c41ea&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 873px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>Now, with the High Court notice on record, the legal questions sharpen, whether the chief minister&rsquo;s language crosses constitutional limits on hate speech, and whether the state machinery&rsquo;s response meets the rule-of-law standard when the accused is the most powerful officeholder in Assam.

Gauhati High Court issued notice to Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma in hate-speech public interest litigations over 'Miya' remarks, amid wider criticism of his rhetoric, evictions affecting Muslims, and an AI video row.

Gauhati High Court issues notice to Assam CM over hate-speech

ISLAMABAD: A Muslim passenger was allegedly assaulted by a group of individuals over his religious identity while travelling on an express train in India, in an incident that has renewed attention on attacks against Muslims in public places. According to the Kashmir Media Service and Indian media reports, the incident occurred on the Manmad-Kakinada-Shirdi Express, an intercity passenger train, when it stopped at Hafeezpet railway station in Hyderabad, India&#39;s southern city. The victim, identified as Hafiz Mohammad Imran, was travelling to Maharashtra when the alleged attack took place. Imran told the police that an argument was already underway inside the coach between some passengers. He said he approached the group to ask why another passenger was being beaten, after which the situation escalated. In a video statement that surfaced on social media on Feb. 11, Imran is seen recounting the incident to police officials. He alleged that he was forcibly pulled aside and assaulted by around 20 people. He further claimed that he was targeted after the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/india-witnessed-over-1300-events-of-hate-speech-in-2025-report" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">group noticed his beard and skull cap</a>.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 672px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=eyJ0ZndfdGltZWxpbmVfbGlzdCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOltdLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X2ZvbGxvd2VyX2NvdW50X3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9iYWNrZW5kIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19yZWZzcmNfc2Vzc2lvbiI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZm9zbnJfc29mdF9pbnRlcnZlbnRpb25zX2VuYWJsZWQiOnsiYnVja2V0Ijoib24iLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X21peGVkX21lZGlhXzE1ODk3Ijp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRyZWF0bWVudCIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZXhwZXJpbWVudHNfY29va2llX2V4cGlyYXRpb24iOnsiYnVja2V0IjoxMjA5NjAwLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X3Nob3dfYmlyZHdhdGNoX3Bpdm90c19lbmFibGVkIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19kdXBsaWNhdGVfc2NyaWJlc190b19zZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdXNlX3Byb2ZpbGVfaW1hZ2Vfc2hhcGVfZW5hYmxlZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdmlkZW9faGxzX2R5bmFtaWNfbWFuaWZlc3RzXzE1MDgyIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRydWVfYml0cmF0ZSIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfbGVnYWN5X3RpbWVsaW5lX3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9mcm9udGVuZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9fQ%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2021452549564531102&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F4112%2F&sessionId=104c2291b13e4348fbebf2b97f4ec9a34de60210&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>Imran also stated that a friend who attempted to intervene and protect him was pushed and assaulted during the altercation. He maintained that he can identify the alleged attackers and has offered to assist the police in the investigation. Police confirmed that the matter is under investigation and said that statements from passengers present on the coach are being recorded. Authorities said appropriate legal action will be taken if the allegations are substantiated. Following the incident, the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen raised concerns over the alleged assault and called for strict action against those responsible. The incident has drawn attention to safety concerns on public transport, particularly incidents involving allegations of identity-based violence.

Screengrab shows a Muslim passenger who was allegedly beaten by a group of around 20 men on a passenger train in India because of his religious identity. (Photo: X/TheMuslim)

He alleges that he was forcibly pulled aside and assaulted by around 20 people; claims that he was targeted after the group noticed his beard and skull cap.

Muslim passenger assaulted on train over religious identity in India

ISLAMABAD: A religious leader at a Hindu nationalist gathering in Indian Hyderabad called on parents to train their children in firearms and violence instead of traditional childhood education, according to on-ground reporting by Indian investigative outlet The News Minute. &quot;Stop teaching children &#39;Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.&#39; Teach them how to fire a gun and sword fighting. Don&#39;t send girl children to dance classes. Send them to martial arts classes. Send them to RSS shakas, Bajrang Dal&#39;s training centers,&quot; chief speaker Girdhar Swami Shastri told the gathering on Saturday, according to The News Minute. The statement was made at the Dharma Rakshana Sabha, organized by the Ganesh Utsav Committee, which is affiliated with the right-wing Hindu nationalist volunteer organization Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). &#39;Twist their necks&#39;The Jan. 24 event was held in Balapur, a location in Hyderabad that hosts a settlement of Rohingya Muslims who fled religious persecution in Myanmar. The Indian government does not categorize Rohingya Muslims as refugees and considers them &quot;illegal immigrants,&quot; as noted by The News Minute. The report noted how the chief speaker, Shastri, declared he would not step down from the dais until India became a &quot;Hindu Rashtra.&quot; He claimed Muslims enter countries &quot;either to convert or to behead&quot; non-Muslims. He urged Hindus to organize &quot;physically and militarily,&quot; stating: &quot;The Hindu society will not survive unless the community gets organized and starts responding to bricks with stones, sticks with swords and spears with pistol revolvers.&quot; The speech included direct exhortations to violence: &quot;If you see any Bangladeshi Muslim or a Rohingya Muslim, hold them by their neck, pin them on the ground and twist their necks,&quot; according to the report. Shastri also urged Hindu women to have more children, claiming that &quot;strength lies in numbers.&quot; He said children should be trained in violence. Scale of operationsAccording to the RSS Annual Report 2025, the organization operates over 73,000 daily shakhas (training branches) across India. The organization&#39;s educational arm, Vidya Bharati, operates schools enrolling 3.5 million children. Over 70% of new RSS members belong to the 14-25 age group. RSS ideology has also been integrated into formal education systems, according to Indian media reports. In late 2025, the Delhi government began introducing lessons on the history of the RSS and its founders into the public school curriculum under the &quot;Rashtraneeti&quot; (National Policy) program. In remote tribal areas, the organization operates thousands of &quot;Ekal Vidyalayas&quot; &mdash; one-teacher schools providing basic education while making Hindutva ideology compulsory curriculum, according to reports on the organization&#39;s educational activities. Academic research published in the Journal of South Asian Studies describes RSS shakha activities as including physical training with a &quot;lathi&quot; (bamboo staff), ideological instruction that reinterprets Indian history as a continuous struggle against Muslim &quot;invaders,&quot; and concluding with a Sanskrit prayer to the &quot;Motherland.&quot; The Bajrang Dal, the youth wing of the Vishva Hindu Parishad, operates annual &quot;Shaurya Prasikshan Varg&quot; (Valour Training Camps), according to VHP official charter documents.&nbsp; BBC has documented some camps where training includes knives and firearms. In 2016, a video from an Ayodhya camp showed trainees &quot;fighting&quot; men dressed in traditional Muslim attire. Historical patternThe rhetoric calling for the militarization of Hindu youth dates to the founding of Hindu nationalist ideology, according to academic historical research. In 1923, V.D. Savarkar argued that only through &quot;rifle practice&quot; could Hindu youth assert dominance. In 1937, B.S. Moonje established the Bhonsala Military School in Nashik to train Hindu boys in military discipline. Human Rights Watch documented Bajrang Dal leaders in the 1990s calling for &quot;militarization&quot; of Hindu youth. In 2002, Shiv Sena leader Bal Thackeray publicly suggested Hindus needed &quot;suicide groups armed with bombs.&quot; Violence connectionsHuman Rights Watch and judicial commissions have documented connections between RSS/Bajrang Dal training and communal violence. HRW reports and tribunals found that Bajrang Dal and RSS members &quot;were most responsible&quot; for organized anti-Muslim violence in Gujarat 2002 that killed over 1,000 people. Witnesses reported that mobs used organized tactics similar to those in training drills, according to tribunal testimony. More than 600 incidents of violence against Christians were reported in 2024, with RSS and Bajrang Dal youth groups identified as primary aggressors, according to United Christian Forum and Human Rights Watch. A December 2025 New York Times investigation uncovered a network of over 400 hostels serving tribal youth that function as recruitment centers for Hindu nationalist mobilization. Legal enforcement gapIndia&#39;s Juvenile Justice Act, 2015, criminalizes recruitment of children by &quot;non-state self-styled militant groups&quot; with penalties up to seven years, according to the Act&#39;s provisions. However, RSS and Bajrang Dal successfully defend activities in court as &quot;cultural education&quot; protected under constitutional rights, according to legal analyses. According to India Hate Lab data, there were 1,318 verified hate speech events in India in 2025 &mdash; a 13% increase from 2024 and nearly double the 668 incidents in 2023. Almost 90% of events occurred in BJP-governed states, according to IHL analysis. The highest numbers were in Uttar Pradesh (266 events), Maharashtra (193), Madhya Pradesh (172), Uttarakhand (155), and Delhi (76). International concernThe United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights issued multiple statements in 2024-25 expressing alarm over &quot;incitement to violence&quot; targeting Muslims in India, according to official UN communications. For the sixth consecutive year, the US Commission on International Religious Freedom recommended in its 2025 report that India be designated a &quot;Country of Particular Concern.&quot; Human Rights Watch&#39;s World Report 2025 documented growing use of &quot;hate speech&quot; at religious gatherings where speakers call for an exclusively Hindu state, noting that local authorities often fail to take action.

At a Hindu nationalist gathering, chief speaker Girdhar Swami Shastri urged parents to militarize children, citing firearms training, amid rising hate speech, weak enforcement, and links between RSS-linked groups and violence.

Replace nursery rhymes with firearms training, Hindu nationalist tells Indian parents

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan strongly condemned what it described as the reported profiling of mosques and mosque management committees in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, calling the measures a serious violation of religious freedom, according to a press statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) on Saturday.&nbsp; In the statement, MOFA said that the reported actions amounted to &ldquo;a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/indian-lawmaker-threatens-to-throw-pork-outside-mosques-in-kanpur" style="color:#0073e6;">blatant intrusion</a>&nbsp;into religious affairs&rdquo; and constituted &ldquo;a grave violation of the fundamental right to freedom of religion and belief.&rdquo;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2012416649295761912&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=a09fa7a2d5fb995d74dc49f6de4b7cc333b26eec&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 923px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> &ldquo;The forcible collection of personal details, photographs, and sectarian affiliations of religious functionaries amounts to systematic harassment, aimed at instilling fear among worshippers and obstructing the free exercise of their faith,&rdquo; the Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. &#39;Institutionalised Islamophobia&#39; The ministry said the reported measures reflected &ldquo;yet another coercive attempt to intimidate and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/closure-of-medical-college-has-affected-students-future-iiojk-cm" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">marginalise the Muslim population</a>&nbsp;of the occupied territory.&rdquo; The statement said the actions were part of what it described as a broader pattern of discrimination against Muslims in the region. &ldquo;These actions form part of a broader pattern of institutionalised Islamophobia driven by the Hindutva ideology of the occupying Indian government,&rdquo; the Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. &ldquo;The selective targeting of mosques and Muslim clergy lays bare the discriminatory and communal character of these policies.&rdquo; The Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the people of Jammu and Kashmir had an &ldquo;inalienable right to practise their religion without fear, coercion or discrimination.&rdquo; Pakistan reaffirmed its support for the people of the disputed region and said it would continue to raise the issue at international forums. &ldquo;Pakistan will continue to stand in solidarity with them and will persist in raising its voice against all forms of religious persecution and intolerance targeting Kashmiris,&rdquo; the ministry said.

File Photo - Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Radio Pakistan)

Security

Calls the violation of religious freedom in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir 'a blatant intrusion', condemns mosque profiling, and reaffirms solidarity with Kashmiris facing discrimination.

Pakistan condemns reported profiling of mosques in Indian Illegally Occupied Kashmir  

ISLAMABAD: Authorities in eastern India arrested two men in connection with a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/mob-targets-mosque-in-indian-capital-police-silence-draws-criticism" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">mob killing</a> while disputing family allegations that the attack was religiously motivated, a case that reflects broader tensions over religious identity and vigilante violence in the world&#39;s most populous &lsquo;democracy&rsquo;. Police in Jharkhand state arrested Munnilal Marandi and Anant Marandi on Jan. 10, three days after a mob of 20 to 25 people beat 45-year-old Pappu Ansari to death near the state&#39;s border with Bihar. Both suspects confessed and named additional accomplices, according to Godda district police. The arrests came as investigators maintain the attack stemmed from cattle theft suspicions, while Ansari&#39;s family and legal representatives insist it was a hate crime targeting Muslims. The divergent narratives reflect a pattern documented by the Centro for the Study of Organized Hate, a US rights monitoring group tracking mob violence cases. The organization&#39;s report shows authorities frequently attribute cattle-related killings to theft disputes while victims&#39; families cite religious targeting. Cattle trade and religious tensions Ansari, a Muslim cattle trader and transporter, was returning from a cattle market in Bihar when his vehicle was intercepted in Matihani village on the night of Jan. 7. His associates escaped, but Ansari was cornered and attacked with axes and sticks, local police said. Cows are considered sacred in Hinduism, practiced by roughly 80% of India&#39;s 1.4 billion people. Several states have enacted laws restricting cattle slaughter and trade in recent years. Critics say the legislation has emboldened vigilante groups that target&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/bihar-mob-lynching-shows-growing-hatred-toward-muslims-indias-civil-rights-body" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Muslims</a>, who constitute about 14% of India&#39;s population and are traditionally involved in cattle trading and meat industries. <div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 768px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2009906778327396794&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F3472%2F&sessionId=f500681ce23a07d0e2264fe9ef4f428d622f34cb&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px"></iframe></div></div>Godda Superintendent of Police Mukesh Kumar told reporters the mob acted on theft suspicions. The local Indian police claimed the victim had a criminal record and had been jailed previously. Ansari&#39;s family rejected the theft allegations. In statements to local journalists, they said attackers identified his religious identity before assaulting him. &quot;They took off his pants and tried to determine his religion,&quot; independent journalist Ashraf Hussain wrote on social media, citing family allegations. &quot;He was murdered because of his religious identity.&quot; <div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 648px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2009916358281318862&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F3472%2F&sessionId=f500681ce23a07d0e2264fe9ef4f428d622f34cb&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px"></iframe></div></div>Political context The killing occurred in Jharkhand, a state of 38 million people governed by a coalition led by the regional Jharkhand Mukti Morcha party with the Indian National Congress. The coalition took power in 2024, opposing the hardliner Prime Minister Narendra Modi&#39;s Bharatiya Janata Party, which governs nationally and in most northern states. Modi&#39;s BJP, which draws support from Hindu nationalist groups, has faced criticism from rights groups over rising communal tensions and insufficient response to mob violence targeting Muslims. Party leaders reject such claims. Representatives from the governing JMM condemned Ansari&#39;s killing. Party leader Rizwan Krantikari said those responsible would not be spared, according to Indian media reports. Kumar formed a Special Investigation Team led by Deputy Superintendent JPN Chaudhary to track remaining suspects. Police have not announced additional arrests. Documented pattern The Centre for the Study of Organised Hate documented a pattern of mob violence linked to cattle-related accusations in Jharkhand and northern India dating to 2015. The group cited Mohammad Akhlaq&#39;s 2015 killing in Dadri, Uttar Pradesh, over beef storage rumors and Alimuddin Ansari&#39;s 2017 death in Ramgarh, Jharkhand, on cow smuggling suspicions. The organization documented three similar incidents in early 2025 before Ansari&#39;s death, including Mohammad Sharif, who died in March after being assaulted during Hindu Holi celebrations in Uttar Pradesh while observing the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. The center said victims are predominantly Muslim men and that most attacks are carried out by Hindu vigilante groups. The report cited&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/taj-mahal-hindu-nationalist-revisionism-reshapes-indias-monuments-and-memory" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">inflammatory rhetoric from officials</a>, including remarks by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval at a January youth event where he urged young Indians to carry &quot;the fire of revenge&quot; over historical grievances. Social media users questioned the limited attention to Ansari&#39;s case. &quot;Why is everyone silent on the mob lynching and subsequent death of Pappu Ansari in Jharkhand?&quot; one user wrote on Jan. 10. Ansari is survived by his wife, four daughters and a son. The Special Investigation Team has not announced a timeline for completing its investigation.

Indian mob lynching of Muslim man. (Social activists staging protest against mob lynching, in Bhopal on July 07, 2017.)

Two men arrested in the Indian state of Jharkhand for mob lynching of Pappu Ansari, amid conflicting claims of theft and religious hate crime.

Mob lynching exposes India’s crisis amid denial of anti-Muslim violence

ISLAMABAD: India&rsquo;s opposition party Congress has strongly condemned the police handling of an attack on Muslim youths at a birthday party in Bareilly, calling it evidence of &ldquo;discriminatory practices&rdquo; that embolden fringe right-wing groups in the country&rsquo;s most populous state of Uttar Pradesh, Indian media reported. Senior Congress leader Anil Yadav said, &ldquo;Such incidents are a blot on civilized society and raise question marks on rule of law. Instead of taking strict action against anti-social elements who disrupted the celebration and attempted to communalise the environment, the police booked the victims.&rdquo; &lsquo;Discriminatory attitude&rsquo;&nbsp;&ldquo;FIR against the accused is registered only after public outcry.&rdquo; Yadav said, &ldquo;It highlights the discriminatory attitude of the police, which is emboldening the fringe right-wing organizations in Uttar Pradesh. Such occurrences are happening on a daily basis.&rdquo; The attack occurred on December 27 at a restaurant in Prem Nagar, where a first-year BSc Nursing student was celebrating her birthday with friends. Of the nine attendees, two male guests were Muslim. Accusation of &lsquo;love jihad&rsquo;Videos that went viral showed a group of right-wing activists storming the caf&eacute;, raising slogans, and allegedly assaulting the youths, accusing them of &ldquo;love jihad&rdquo;, Indian media reported. A journalist, Mohammed Zubair, shared footage of the reported attack on his X account.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 648px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2005158144734101928&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=0be6aaa2fee7f4e690364f483cdfecd12b20b76c&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" data-tweet-id="2005158144734101928"></iframe></div></div>According to Indian media, the student said in a video, &ldquo;They barged into my birthday party and assaulted my friend. There were only two Muslims present, and most of the guests were Hindus. The attackers tried to harass and snatch my phone. We were helpless for some time.&rdquo; Punishing the victims&nbsp;Initially, the local police issued challans against the victims and caf&eacute; staff for disturbing the peace, prompting widespread social media outrage. Following the backlash, the police registered FIR 532/25 under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against Rishabh Thakur, Deepak Pathak, and 20&ndash;25 others for assault, trespass with intent to cause hurt, grievous hurt, and severe criminal intimidation. Ashutosh Shivam, Circle Officer City 1, Bareilly, said, &ldquo;We are identifying the people involved in the assault.&rdquo; Law enforcement failure&nbsp;The Congress criticized the ruling BJP government, saying the incident reflects growing insecurity for minority communities in Uttar Pradesh and a failure of law enforcement to act impartially.

Congress condemns police action after a birthday party attack in Bareilly, accusing them of ‘discriminatory practices’; UP Police initially issued challans to victims, but after backlash, an FIR was filed against attackers, highlighting law enforcement bias.

Articles tagged with "Islamophobia"