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ISLAMABAD: BJP leaders in Karnataka have asked Bengaluru police to cancel a book discussion on jailed Muslim activist Umar Khalid, intensifying concerns over the shrinking space for dissent and minority voices in India, The Indian Express reported. The event, scheduled at Bangalore International Centre, is based on &#39;Umar Khalid and His World&#39; and is expected to feature readings and discussion by public intellectuals including Ramachandra Guha, Janaki Nair and Prakash Raj. A BJP delegation led by Bengaluru Central MP P.C. Mohan met Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh and submitted a memorandum demanding that permission for the programme be withdrawn, the Deccan Chronicle reported. The party objected to the event on the grounds that Khalid, a former JNU student leader, is facing charges under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act in connection with the 2020 Northeast Delhi riots case.<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=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2048713409999593665&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fmedia-library%2F&sessionId=2abc6fdf8a597be1bcf0cdf10b7b71f197d8ac77&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 696px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;"></iframe></div></div>Khalid has been in jail since September 2020, despite not having been convicted. His prolonged incarceration has repeatedly been cited by rights groups and civil society voices as an example of India&rsquo;s harsh treatment of Muslim activists and government critics. BJP leaders accused Khalid of being &ldquo;anti-national&rdquo; and questioned why an event should be held around a person who remains in jail, according to The New Indian Express. The party also claimed that the event could create a law-and-order problem and alleged that pro-Khalid slogans and graffiti had appeared in Bengaluru. Critics say such objections reflect a familiar pattern in which Muslim activists, students and dissenting voices are branded as threats before their cases are fully adjudicated in court.<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-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=2048816234196774952&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fmedia-library%2F&sessionId=2abc6fdf8a597be1bcf0cdf10b7b71f197d8ac77&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 873px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;"></iframe></div></div>The attempt to stop the event has also raised questions over whether the BJP is seeking to police public discussion around politically sensitive cases involving Muslims and critics of the government, The Hindu reported. Supporters of the programme argue that a literary discussion about a book does not amount to glorifying crime, particularly when the person at the centre of the discussion has not been convicted. The controversy comes amid broader concerns about the use of anti-terror laws against Muslim activists and student leaders in India, The Deccan Herald reported. While the BJP maintains that its demand is aimed at preserving public order, civil liberties advocates argue that preventing such events weakens democratic debate and deepens the marginalisation of Muslim political voices.

India

BJP leaders sought cancellation of a Bengaluru book event on jailed Muslim activist Umar Khalid, raising concerns over free speech, minority dissent and political pressure on public discussion.

BJP seeks ban on Umar Khalid book event in Bengaluru

ISLAMABAD: A female journalist in India&#39;s Kerala state has alleged that she faced online abuse and threats after questioning a BJP candidate about a cash-for-votes controversy. The incident marks the latest escalation in a row that has already triggered an official inquiry and raised concerns over the safety of journalists covering the case. Maktoob Media reported that journalist Shamna K, a Muslim, who works with Malayalam news channel Big TV, received abusive messages and misogynistic remarks across social media after pressing Sobha Surendran at a press conference. According to Maktoob, the exchange took place after Shamna asked Surendran whether the woman seen in a video allegedly distributing cash to voters was linked to the BJP candidate. The report said Surendran did not give a clear answer and ended the press conference soon afterward. The controversy comes amid an ongoing probe into allegations that cash was distributed to influence voters in Palakkad ahead of the Kerala Assembly election. The Times of India reported that the district inquiry has concluded and that a final report is expected next week, although it is still pending the statement of an elderly woman allegedly seen receiving the money. The inquiry has included statements from Surendran, rival candidates and other witnesses connected to the case. The issue has also raised wider concern about the treatment of journalists reporting on the episode. Earlier this month, police protection was provided to MediaOne Palakkad reporter Sajid Ajmal after intelligence reportedly flagged threats linked to BJP-RSS circles over his reporting on the same alleged cash-for-votes incident. That development was reported by both Maktoob and Madhyamam, the new outlets. Taken together, the latest developments suggest that journalists pursuing sensitive questions in the Palakkad controversy are facing an increasingly hostile environment. Threats, political pressure and allegations of intimidation are now becoming a parallel story to the cash-for-votes probe itself.

The incident marks the latest escalation in a row that has triggered an official inquiry and raises concerns over the safety of journalists covering the case.

India: Muslim journalist faces abuse after questioning BJP candidate

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;

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: The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) on Saturday highlighted the killing of a Muslim truck driver in India&rsquo;s Rajasthan state, a case that has renewed scrutiny of alleged cow-vigilante violence targeting minorities in the country. The incident, first reported by the Observer Post, occurred in the Bhiwadi area of Alwar district, where 28-year-old Aamir, a truck driver from neighboring Haryana, died after what relatives say was an attack by members of the Hindu nationalist group Bajrang Dal. According to family members cited in Indian media reports, Aamir was stopped by men accusing him of cattle smuggling before being assaulted. His relatives alleged that the attackers &ldquo;shot him in the head,&rdquo; blaming Bajrang Dal-linked cow vigilantes for the killing. Local police said the precise cause of death would be determined after post-mortem and forensic examinations, adding that the investigation remains ongoing. The killing comes amid broader international concern about policing practices and violence against marginalized communities in India. In a report issued last month, experts from the United Nations Human Rights Council warned of what they described as a pattern of excessive and often lethal force by Indian law-enforcement authorities and vigilante groups, disproportionately affecting minorities including Muslims. &ldquo;These allegations paint a picture of law enforcement violence that is not sporadic, but systemic,&rdquo; the UN experts said. &ldquo;If substantiated, they reveal grave violations of the right to life, the absolute prohibition of torture, and the right to non-discrimination.&rdquo; The experts called on the government of India to launch urgent and independent investigations into allegations of extrajudicial killings and torture-related deaths, warning that practices such as so-called &ldquo;encounters&rdquo; risk normalizing unlawful violence. Aamir&rsquo;s family says his death has left them devastated. Relatives described him as the sole breadwinner supporting his parents, wife and young child. His wife is four months pregnant, and his sister&rsquo;s wedding was scheduled for next month. IAMC, a Washington-based advocacy organization representing Indian American Muslims, said the case underscores continuing concerns over mob attacks carried out under the banner of cow protection. In a social media statement, the group urged authorities to ensure accountability for the killing and to address what it described as a pattern of vigilante violence linked to accusations of cattle smuggling. Attacks by self-styled cow-protection groups have repeatedly triggered controversy across India, where cows are considered sacred by many Hindus and slaughter is banned or restricted in several states. Rights groups say such laws have increasingly been used by vigilantes to target Muslims and other marginalized communities. The latest killing in Rajasthan is likely to intensify criticism from activists who argue that India&rsquo;s authorities have failed to curb mob violence or hold perpetrators accountable, leaving minority communities increasingly vulnerable to attacks carried out in the name of cow protection.

Rights advocates say a Muslim truck driver dies after suspected cow vigilantes stop his vehicle in Rajasthan’s Bhiwadi area, while police launch forensic inquiries and his family alleges members of a Hindu nationalist group carried out the attack.

Cow vigilantes in India kill Muslim driver, rights group raises alarm

ISLAMABAD: A UN watchdog on racial discrimination has renewed scrutiny of India&rsquo;s treatment of Bengali-speaking Muslims in the Indian state of Assam, a long-running controversy rooted in citizenship verification and identity politics in India&rsquo;s northeast.&nbsp;The dispute centres on Assam&rsquo;s National Register of Citizens process, which&nbsp;has disproportionately targeted Bengali-speaking Muslims, leaving many at risk of exclusion, statelessness, or prolonged legal uncertainty.&nbsp;The Chair of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD), Michal Balcerzak, in a Jan. 19 letter addressed to India&rsquo;s Permanent Representative in Geneva, Arindam Bagchi, said CERD was following up on its earlier communication of May 12, 2025, on the same issue.&nbsp;According to the letter, CERD acknowledged India&rsquo;s response and noted India&rsquo;s position on the Citizenship (Amendment) Act 2019 and the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules 2024, including the claim that the framework does not deprive eligible foreigners of the right to apply for citizenship through registration or naturalization.&nbsp;However, CERD said it regrets a lack of information on key allegations previously raised. These include claims of racial discrimination against Bengali-speaking Muslims during the NRC update and exclusion from the final list due to procedural irregularities, difficulty obtaining required documents, and stricter verification standards applied to people classified as &ldquo;non-original inhabitants,&rdquo; a term the committee said lacks a clear definition.&nbsp;The committee also cited allegations of systematic forced evictions without adequate housing or compensation, along with reports of rising hate speech and incitement to violence, and allegations of excessive use of force by law enforcement, causing recurrent killings and injuries, plus violent attacks by civilians or organized groups in mid-2024.&nbsp;CERD called on India to take &ldquo;all necessary measures&rdquo; to protect the community&rsquo;s rights and asked India to provide detailed information during its upcoming periodic reporting, including steps to prevent discriminatory nationality deprivation, halt forced evictions, combat hate speech online and offline, and investigate alleged lethal use of force.

A UN anti-racism committee told India its reply was incomplete, seeking details on alleged discrimination against Bengali-speaking Muslims in Assam, including NRC exclusion, evictions, hate speech, and excessive force.

Articles tagged with "Muslims unsafe in India"

BJP seeks ban on Umar Khalid book event in Bengaluru

India: Muslim journalist faces abuse after questioning BJP candidate

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

Cow vigilantes in India kill Muslim driver, rights group raises alarm

UN watchdog questions India on discrimination of Bengali Muslims in Assam