ID on HC oral update on drivers root causes and human rights impacts of religious hatred constituting incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence 5 October 2023

Agenda Item 9 Racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related forms of intolerance: follow-up to and implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action

Prepared and Submitted 5 October 2023 by the Islamic Human Rights Commission (UK)

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Speaker: Jawad Husain

President,

IHRC would like to draw the High Commissioner’s attention to the systematic otherisation of religious minorities in India where the march of fascist Hindutva ideology is threatening to unleash a genocide against Muslims.

Championed by the BJP government, Hindutva hijacks Indian nationalism in the service of a religiously pure state, a Hindu Rashtra, consisting only of Hindus where religious minorities are regarded as foreign races that must either be assimilated or ethnically cleansed.

Since the BJP rose to power in 2014 on a wave of anti-Muslim propaganda, conditions for the 200 million Muslims in India have rapidly deteriorated. The BJP dominated media vilifies them on a daily basis, preparing the ground for official discrimination, maltreatment and state as well as mob violence. Laws such as the Citizenship Amendment Act, the National Register of Citizens, anti-conversion prohibitions, hijab bans and home demolitions openly discriminate against Muslims.

Politicians and Hindu religious leaders regularly incite violence and genocide against India’s Muslims with impunity. Mobs are rallied to attack Muslim communities, their religious symbols and places of worship. Since the BJP assumed power hundreds of Muslims have died at the hands of Hindutva inspired fanatics. Christians and Sikhs have also been subjected to similar attacks.

Hindutva politics seeks nothing less than to annihilate minority religions and their presence in India. Left unchallenged, India is a likely venue for the next genocide.

Thank you.