“The rising wave of state-sanctioned hate crimes and Islamophobia in India has emerged not only as a threat to Indian Muslims but is also a matter of grave concern for the Muslim world at large,” FM Qureshi was quoted as saying by the FO. The foreign minister, according to the communiqué, has inter alia apprised about the Modi government’s systematic campaign to demonise Muslims by holding them responsible for the spread of coronavirus. ‘Indian Muslims face vilification’He has underscored that Indian actions are in contravention of relevant International Conventions and seriously undermine global efforts for religious harmony during these challenging times. There have been growing incidents of hate crimes against Muslims in India particularly after the outbreak of Covid-19. The unusual strong response from Gulf countries with whom India in recent years cultivated good relations on the back of its economic clout prompted Prime Minister Narendra Modi to distance himself from the hate crimes against Muslims.

Source: The Express Tribune April 28, 2020 13:52 UTC