Minorities’persecution in India

Letter May 29, 2019
India has outpaced Brazil as the largest exporter of beef since 2014

RAWALPINDI: In post-election India of cow-vigilantes, fanatic Hindus have made the lynching of cap-wearing Muslims their new pastime. An Indian daily reported a video had surfaced on social media showing a Muslim man in Gururam who was wearing a cap and en route to a mosque, was attacked by far-right Hindu extremists and was forced to chant Jai Shri Ram.

Following his failure to do so, they thrashed him with sticks, and later also made him to beat his wife with shoes. Previously, several people have also been lynched to death by these cow-vigilantes. Earlier, three people forced a Muslim to shave off his beard while recording in the incident, and posted the whole episode on the internet later. In another incident, a lecturer was arrested for a FaceBook post that justified the rights of the adivasis or tribal people to consume beef.

Aside from the recent upsurge in cow-related lynchings from 2015 onwards, attacks against Muslim and numerous anti-Muslim riots have taken place over the years.

It is ironic that India has outpaced Brazil as the largest exporter of beef since 2014. Among the countless suppliers, Al-Dua is one of the leading exporters of halal meat to the Gulf countries. With a booming beef-producing economy, the post-election atmosphere of cap lynching, and FaceBook persecution is a mockery of Modi’s ‘all inclusive’ India. Increasing persecution of minorities in India does not augur well for the country. The Modi government should rise above narrow political considerations and stop the rot.

The golden words in India’s Objectives Resolution promise to secure social, economic and political justice for all people and to provide them with equal opportunities and an equal status before the law. This is a far cry in today’s India.

Aeimen Malick

Published in The Express Tribune, May 29th, 2019.

Like Opinion & Editorial on Facebook, follow @ETOpEd on Twitter to receive all updates on all our daily pieces.