Pakistan strongly condemns anti-Islam Facebook post by Indian extremist

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan has conveyed its strong condemnation to the Indian High Commission in Islamabad on the reported incident involving a derogatory social media post against the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) by an extremist from the majority Hindu community in Bengaluru, Karnataka, said foreign office on Wednesday. 

The anti-Islam Facebook post by a close relative of a Congress MLA, Akhanda Srinivasamurthy, sparked riots and resulted in clashes between police and protesters. 

The FO further said, “The offensive post against Islam has hurt Muslims and reflects the rising Islamophobia and targeting of the minority communities in India”. 

The Indian police instead of preventing this hate crime against Muslims and Islam, used brute force, killed at least three protesters, and injured many more, it said, adding that as an added injustice, the Muslim community in the area is being falsely framed for alleged vandalism and assault on police personnel.

The rising incidents of religious hate crime in India are a direct and inescapable consequence of the RSS-BJP combine’s extremist ideology of ‘Hindutva’.

The incident has been viewed with concern and the civil society in Pakistan has called for justice for the minority Muslim community in India.

Pakistan has called upon the Government of India to investigate the incident and take immediate action against the perpetrators of religious hatred. 

India has also been called upon to ensure the safety, security and well-being of the minority communities, particularly Muslims, and take steps to ensure prevention of hate speech and hate crimes against Islam and protection of religious rights of Muslims.

The international community, the United Nations and relevant international organizations should play their role against the rising tide of Islamaophobia in India and ensure practical steps for the protection and religious rights of minorities in India.