Shame on you, Joe Biden for rolling out the red carpet for the Gujrat butcher, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and the US congress for giving him the platform to address them. You are all ignoring the international human rights groups calls to not welcome a well known extremist who has transformed secular India into a hate-filled, Hindu extremist/nationalist nation where the minorities rights are systematically abolished. What happened to standing up for international human rights?
On the occasion of the Father’s Day, I could have written a post on the fathers and how important they are in shaping who we are now. But we can not remain silent in the face of atrocities being committed and having our government welcoming the tyrant- in- chief.
Indian Prime Minister Modi is visiting the USA next week and is planning to meet President Biden. He is also invited to address the U.S. Congress and meet several CEOs of the largest U.S. companies.
Not so long ago, Modi was barred to enter the USA for his role in the riots in Gujrat where 2,000 Muslims were killed. He was eventually acquitted by the Indian supreme court. But the international human rights groups have raised concerns that the Indian media and the judicial and law enforcement agencies are increasingly under the authoritarian rule of Modi.
Quite appropriately, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, among many other, are planning protests in multiple cities where Modi is planning to visit. The Reuters, among many other news outlets, have published these groups’ concerns.
Since Modi took office in 2014, India has slid from 140th in the World Press Freedom Index, to 161st this year, its lowest ever, while also topping the list for the highest number of internet shutdowns globally for five consecutive years.
Advocacy groups have also raised concerns over alleged human rights abuses under Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
They point to a 2019 citizenship law that the U.N. human rights office described as “fundamentally discriminatory” by excluding Muslim migrants; anti-conversion legislation that challenged the constitutionally protected right to freedom of belief; and the revoking of Muslim-majority Kashmir’s special status in 2019.
There has also been demolition of properties owned by Muslims in the name of removing illegal construction; and a ban on wearing the hijab in classrooms in Karnataka when BJP was in power in that state.
Protests planned for Modi’s US visit over India’s human rights | Reuters
Since the rise of Modi and his ultra nationalist, Hindutva preaching party, India has seen it’s transformation from a secular nation to an extremely intolerant and violent Hindu right wing dominated country. Muslims and other religious minorities are constantly been targeted.
Muslims are not the only target- Christians and Dalits are also been a target of hate.
Here is one of the several videos, that shows destruction of christian symbol and places of worship.
Even the pop stars are using the music- something that should bring peace, to spread the message of hate. Here is one such example.
This video on Vice News on HBO points to a much bigger problem India is facing.
It is important to keep in mind that Hinduism and Hindutva are not the same thing.
- Many Hindus are against Hindutva
- Its not about Hindu-Muslims. All minorities are affected. A BJP minister recently said Christians and Muslims will be wiped ot by Dec 31, 2021
BJP and RSS leader Rajeshwar Singh, has, in an example of intimidation and hate speech said that “Muslims and Christians will be wiped out of India by December 31, 2021.” He further said that ‘we’ have decided that Islam and Christianity will be finished in India by 2021. He asserted, “this is the pledge taken by my colleagues. This is our pledge.”
Please send messages to your representatives to condemn the human rights violation going on under Modi. Please have President Biden insist on Modi to stop the transformation into an extremist state and return it into the tolerant, secular state it once was.
Here is one of the many easy ways to send a message to your representative/s.
CAIR Action Alert: No U.S. Honors for anti-Muslim Indian Prime Minister Modi
Image courtesy: Pixabay.com
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In