There has also been no proper action taken by the government to subdue this ongoing oppressive behaviour. The similar and most horrifying incident happened in 2002 in Gujarat, where Muslims were horrendously massacred by Hindu extremists under the same BJP government. People in Delhi are being asked their names to identify whether they’re Muslim, and are then mercilessly massacred.
There has also been no proper action taken by the government to subdue this ongoing oppressive behaviour. The similar and most horrifying incident happened in 2002 in Gujarat, where Muslims were horrendously massacred by Hindu extremists under the same BJP government. People in Delhi are being asked their names to identify whether they’re Muslim, and are then mercilessly massacred.
What has happened
Scrapping off Article 370
On August 6th, 2019, the Government of India made a huge blunder by removing Article 370, which gave the people of Kashmir – which has a Muslim majority – a special status. It had previously limited the Indian government’s control over the state. The article had provided Kashmir the freedom to make individualised decisions, to have a separate constitution, to have a state flag, to buy properties, and other basic fundamental rights like the rest of India. The chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Mehbooba Mufti, who is being kept under house arrest, stated this act was “the blackest day in Indian democracy”.
The ruling party under the governance of Prime minister Narendra Modi decided to revoke the status of Kashmiri people “to bring integrity of Kashmir along with the rest of India” by cutting off Internet services, imprisoning leaders, persecuting their citizens, and safely evacuating Hindu pilgrims just before the announcement of ‘scrapping off the article’.
Names of places in Kashmir have been changed to Hindi, such as Bharat Mata ji and Atal ji. Mosques are being set on fire and religious injustice is done even now as you are reading this article. Sadly we can only know the ‘tip of an iceberg’ condition in Kashmir, as Internet services have been cut off (as per the 2nd March).
NRC
The national register of citizens act was passed in December 2019, which identifies and deports illegal immigrants. Assam was the first state the law was implemented. It identifies people who cannot provide official documents that support their stay in India before March 24, 1971. Immigrants from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh have been and will continue to be deported.
People in Assam who cannot provide legal documents are sent to present their case before foreigners’ tribunals. If one loses the case, then they are moved to the high court and then to the Supreme Court. The government says this is to identify foreign nationals who reside in Assam, which borders Bangladesh.
CAA
The citizen amendment bill passed in the same period as NRC openly states that Muslims from neighbouring countries will not be given citizenship in India. It further states “to offer citizenship to persecuted minorities from neighbouring states”, such as Hindus, Jains, and Christians except for Muslims, as the opposition parties claim that this is to increase the Hindu voting population for the Bharatiya Janata Party (Prime Minister Modi’s ruling party). This is the first time that religion has been overtly used as a criterion for citizenship in the country.
The ruling party states that religious minorities from neighbouring countries that once were a part of India are given permanent residency in the country except for Muslims. However, the question arises, why Afghanistan? It was never a part of India! In addition, the minority Shia and Ahmadias are being persecuted in Pakistan, the Rohingyas in Myanmar, the Tamils in Sri Lanka; why aren’t they given the same refuge in the country like the minorities of Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan?
People believe that the law is unnecessary and Islamophobic, as it involves religious discrimination. Muslims and Hindus have no animosity between them and if any of them requires refuge, the country should provide it on the basis of human conscience and not on the basis of religion.
NPR
The national population register which is about to be implemented in April of 2020 requires citizens of India to provide their basic details such as their name, age, sex, father’s name, mother’s name, occupation, religion etc. Home minister Amit Shah says that NPR is in no way linked with NRC and the citizens do not need to show any documents. However Indian citizens, especially Muslims, fear that NPR is just a starting phase to NRC.
What is happening
Persecution of Muslims by Hindu Extremists
In Delhi, in the past few months, many deaths have been reported – most of them who are Muslim – who were identified and inhumanely killed by violent Hindu mobs. Mosques are burnt and a total of 19 mosques have been vandalised in Delhi. Holy scriptures are being ill-treated; as you are reading this article, Muslims in Delhi are being attacked. Several Hindus who in the course of defending Muslims were also brutally killed.
There has also been no proper action taken by the government to subdue this ongoing oppressive behaviour. The similar and most horrifying incident happened in 2002 in Gujarat, where Muslims were horrendously massacred by Hindu extremists under the same BJP government. People in Delhi are being asked their names to identify whether they’re Muslim, and are then mercilessly massacred.
Muslim homes are being burnt, children are murdered, and Muslims are made to say Hindu chants and the national anthem whilst being beaten and killed.
What can we do?
Day by day, the Muslim ummah’s struggles and difficulties are increasing. What more can we do, except raising our hands to the Most High, and asking Him to change the hearts of these tyrants?
This is rather surprising that in India where Islam is very much welcomed, there are still many who wish that Islam would “go away”. What will they gain by wiping out Islam and Muslims? The irony of it all is Allah, Exalted is He, says in the following verses:
“(Pharaoh) said, ‘You believed him before I gave you permission. Indeed, he is your leader who has taught you magic. So I will surely cut off your hands and your feet on opposite sides, and I will crucify you on the trunks of palm trees, and you will surely know which of us is more severe in (giving) punishment and more enduring’ [Quran 20:71].
These are the words of Fir’awn, to the magicians who at last believed in Prophet Moses (pbuh). Fir’awn threatens them of death. The magicians then say:
“They said, ‘Never will we prefer you over what has come to us of clear proofs and [over] He who created us. So decree whatever you are to decree. You can only decree for this worldly life'” [Quran 20:72]
and
“Indeed, we have believed in our Lord that He may forgive us our sins and what you compelled us [to do] of magic. And Allah is better and more enduring” [Quran 20:73].
What they are saying here is so profound. They are not pleading to Fir’awn show them mercy, rather they are letting him to “decree their fate” because he can only “decree” in this worldly life.
To Muslims in India:
إِن َّ رَب َّكَ لَبِٱلْمِرْصَادِ Indeed, your Lord is in observation [Al-Fajr 89:14].
May God grant justice to those who have been killed in Delhi. Ameen.
