AFTER the inauguration of a temple at the site of demolished Babri mosque in Ayodhya, concerns are growing over increasing incidents of encroachment on Muslim mosques by Hindu extremists in India. The latest development in Varanasi, where a district court granted the family of a priest the right to worship Hindu deities inside the Gyanvapi mosque complex, adds to the alarming trend.
The inauguration of the temple in Ayodhya has fuelled a series of actions targeting Muslim places of worship. An extremist Hindu group, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the ideological parent of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu-nationalist party, claimed that several mosques in India were constructed over demolished Hindu temples. This narrative has emboldened some individuals to take matters into their own hands. Reports have surfaced of Hindu activists unfurling saffron flags inside a mosque in Agra, Uttar Pradesh. Additionally, there are disturbing accounts of a potential attack on a church in Madhya Pradesh, pointing to a broader pattern of religious intolerance. Such incidents are a sheer violation of the religious freedom of minorities. Adding to the concerns is the decision by an Indian state, governed by PM Narendra Modi’s party, to introduce contentious common personal laws that will apply across religions. This move is particularly divisive, as it challenges the existing autonomy of the followers of different religions to follow their own personal laws and customs. The incidents of encroachment on religious spaces and the imposition of common personal laws are indicative of a concerning trend that warrants global attention. The international community should take strict notice of the current situation in India and call upon its government to reassess its approach to religious freedom and work towards ensuring equal rights for all citizens. The Muslim countries should actively raise their voices against the oppression faced by Indian Muslims and work towards ensuring the protection of their rights. India’s infringement on the religious freedom of Muslims and other minorities is a perilous path that risks exacerbating communal tensions. Though nothing good can be expected from the current Indian regime, yet they should recognize the consequences of such divisive actions.
