Dr Muhammad Khan
THE Guardian in its 01 March 2020 special
observer report has highlighted the Mulim killings in Indian capital under the title of “Inside Delhi: beaten, lynched and burnt alive”. It is a tale of brutalities and state-sponsored massacre which has no parallels in the modern history of human beings. Quoting various incidents, covered live by the reporters of this prestigious newspaper, it is said that Muslim areas were already marked, identified and chosen for the killings. The general format of these brutalities was; beating the innocent Muslims by various Hindu mobs, fully armed and had brought batons with them. As per eye witnesses, some of the Hindu mobs were armed with “iron rods, crowbars and metal pipes.” Hundreds of those beaten died on spot or died later on. A few among those beaten could survive with disabilities and injuries. Lynching was another strategy, used for terrorizing the Muslim men and women. The lynching process by the Hindu mobs continued till death of victims. Those survived the batons and lynching were burnt while they were still alive. Some of the Muslim areas were put on fire right from the beginning of the attacks by Hindu mobs. The Hindu mobs had brought with them kerosene oil and petrol for rapid burning of fire. A Muslim victim was beaten till he become unconscious, assuming him as dead, ‘Hindu mobs tied a rope around his neck and dragged him into a gutter’
As per the newspaper, in one of the incidents, Mohammad Mudasir, a 31 years old boy was killed while he was lying in a bloodied ball on the floor. A mob of over 30 Hindus kept beating him with batons even after his death. Mohammad Zubair, a survivor of the Indian state-sponsored massacre narrated his tale in the wordings; “The blows kept raining on my head, hands and back. I did not ask them to stop beating me. I became silent, tried to hold my breath and stiffen my body.” This young man requested Hindu mobs to get free, but they kept beating him, while shouting, “Kill the bastard Muslim and jai Sri Ram”. The Hindu mobs conducted identification parade to make sure that they kill Muslims only. Identity cards were the first identification; however, if someone was not in possession of that, people were checked whether or not they were circumcised. As stated by a Muslim victim, resident of Shiv Vihar, north-east Delhi, “Some of them forced me to pull down my trousers. They started beating me violently as soon as they became sure that I was Muslim.” This all was done in broad day light while police was present there. Indeed, police and other Law Enforcing Agencies (LEAs) were in aid of Hindu mobs during this violent massacre of Muslims in New Delhi. During initial four days of Indian massacres of Muslims in New Delhi and surrounding areas, the Hindu mobs and LEAs were set on fire dozens of mosques, burned Muslims while they were still alive and dragged left over people to streets for beating and lynching. Indian brutalities were not restricted to killing and beating but the properties and businesses of the Muslims were set on fire too. On the streets where there were Muslim living alongside Hindus or were in majority, there lay bloodied bodies with “discarded and burned-out cars, bikes, shattered glass and smouldering shops”.
India as a state and Indian Government under Prime Minister Modi have been witnessing this massacre in their office through CCTV, since it was a state-sponsored massacre. This massacre is part of a larger Indian agenda. The study groups of the BJP and RSS have concluded a few years ago that since Muslims population is increasing very rapidly, therefore Muslims must be massacred, displaced or converted into Hinduism. Unfortunately, the 80% Hindu population in India is not ready to accept only 15% Muslims and yet this state claims to be secular country with the status of world’s biggest democracy. Indeed, millions of Muslims were massacred in 1947, on the eve of partition of India into India and Pakistan. Despite agreements for the protection of minorities in both countries, the so-called secular state of India started alienating and targeting Muslims in 1960s through 1980s. There was a formal Government sponsored targeting of Muslims and their mosques in 1992, when BJP led Hindu mobs attacked and smashed Babri Mosque in Ayodhya. In 2019, Indian Supreme Court authenticated the destruction of Babri Mosque which is a clear indication that there is no place for minorities, especially Muslims in India. Today’s India means a state of Hindus having the Hindutva as its ideology. While international media has dared to highlight the massacres of Muslims in India, the Western capitals are quite. The obvious causes of this silence over the Muslim massacre are their political, economic and strategic interests in India. The interest-driven approach of international community may serve their agendas for the time being; nevertheless, it will encourage India to further expand its sphere of Muslim massacre and exploitation of other minorities. Indian massacre of Muslims, genocide in occupied Kashmir and exploitation of other minorities (New Delhi being recent episode) demands international sanctions against India as per international law and UN Charter. In the past, UN has imposed sanctions over Sudan and many other countries over human rights violations and massacres of minorities. With a track record of massive human rights violations and massacres of minorities, India deserves to be placed under UN sanctions forthwith.
— The writer is Professor of Politics and IR at International Islamic University, Islamabad.
