As the election season in India culminates, some 48 human rights groups have condemned the anti-Muslim rhetoric used by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the other members of his BJP during polling campaigns.
A global coalition of civil society organisations released a statement on Sunday, June 2, which was co-signed by 48 human rights groups.
“Despite repeated complaints by India’s opposition parties and tens of thousands of concerned citizens, Prime Minister Modi has continuously targeted Indian Muslims and his political opponents alike in his hate speeches, fanning the flames of an already dangerous climate of anti-minority hate and violence in the nation,” the statement read.
In violation of Indian law, which prohibits communal speeches during elections, Modi has referred to India’s 250 million Muslims as ‘infiltrators’, and those who possess “more children”. He claimed that Muslims will rob other marginalised communities of government benefits, and shockingly referred to Muslims exercising their right to vote as “vote jihad.”
Other BJP politicians also made similar hateful comments, including senior government leaders. Home Minister Amit Shah associated Muslim schools and clerics with the ‘mafia’; Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath declared that an opposition government would bring in a ‘Taliban’ style government; and Assam Chief Minister Hemanta Biswa Sarma has boasted of forcing Islamic seminaries across his state to shut down.
‘We call upon the leaders of the international community to impress [our concerns] upon Mr. Modi, urge him to immediately retract and apologize for his statements, and urge him to commit to holding his fellow party members accountable for spreading violent hate speech as well,’ the statement concluded.
The statement was signed by the following bodies:
Indian American Muslim Council Hindus for Human Rights
Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC)
Genocide Watch
Dalit Solidarity Forum
Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations (FIACONA)
New York State Council of Churches
North America Manipur Tribal Association (NAMTA)
Asian Children’s Educational Fellowship
American Sikh Council
Justice for All
International Christian Concern
India Civil Watch
Coalition Against Fascism
Boston South Asian Coalition
Black African Cemetery Coalition
Justice4Palestine Actions Enablement Network
Virginia Political Action Committee
Tunisian Action Network
Libyan American Alliance
Bethesda African Cemetery Coalition
Islamic Leadership Institute of America
Coalition of Seattle Indian Americans
ICNA Council for Social Justice
The London Story (TLS)
South Asian Diaspora Action Collective (SADAC)
South Asian SOAR
The Citizens Foundation
World Without Genocide
Sikh Information Centre
Sikh Assembly of America
Incarnation Anglican Church
Assembly for Human Rights
World Without Genocide
Global Buhjan Group
Georgia Muslim Action Committee (GAMAC)
American Muslims for Palestine- New Jersey
Coalition of Americans for Pluralism in India (CAPI)
Islamic Community Center of Laurel
Interfaith Leadership Council of Metropolitan Detroit
ImpactHub
Incarnation Anglican Church
Jubilee Campaign
Muslim Community Support Services
NRI Ambedkarite
South Asian American Coalition to Renew Democracy (SACRED)
