Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. PHOTO: AFP
Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif condemned the violence against Muslims in India, following the deadly riots in New Delhi.
The foreign minister took to microblogging website Twitter and urged Indian authorities to ensure the wellbeing of "ALL" Indians, regardless of their religion.
Referring to the violence against the Muslims as "senseless thuggery", Zarif said the path forward lies in peaceful dialogue and rule of law.
"For centuries, Iran has been a friend of India. We urge Indian authorities to ensure the wellbeing of ALL Indians & not let senseless thuggery prevail," he said.
Iran condemns the wave of organized violence against Indian Muslims.
For centuries, Iran has been a friend of India. We urge Indian authorities to ensure the wellbeing of ALL Indians & not let senseless thuggery prevail.
Path forward lies in peaceful dialogue and rule of law.
— Javad Zarif (@JZarif) March 2, 2020
Riots in New Delhi
Police said at least 41 people had died in two days of Hindu-Muslim clashes in New Delhi last week, the worst communal riots in the capital in decades.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party says the law, which grants refuge to non-Muslim minorities from across south Asia, is required to protect those groups from persecution.
Critics say it is discriminatory and contravenes the spirit of India’s secular constitution.
Hundreds of thousands of people - led by students and Muslim groups - have been demonstrating for more than two months, amid fears that the government will also launch a population register that could leave many Muslims stateless.
A week ago, a mob of several hundred people chanting Hindu nationalist slogans torched two mosques and dozens of Muslim houses, eyewitnesses said, while nearby houses carrying Hindu symbols were left untouched.
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