A hallmark of a civilized society is that minorities can live with dignity and honour. From that perspective, I regret I cannot call my own country, India, civilized.
Muslims constitute only 15% of the total population of India ( which is about 1.4 billion ) while Hindus constitute about 80%. Hence it is the duty of the Hindu majority to ensure that the Muslim minority in India live with dignity and honour.
However, many incidents have occurred, particularly after the pro-Hindu Bhartiya Janta Party ( BJP ) came to power in 2014, of lynching of Muslims, bulldozing their houses, beating them brutally for not saying ” Jai Shri Ram ”, incarcerating them in jail for long periods on frivolous and trumped up charges ( e,g. Umar Khalid ), accusing them of being terrorists, anti-nationals or pro-Pakistanis, etc.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-68498675
A lady teacher in a school in Muzaffarnagar, UP told her Hindu students to slap a Muslim boy.
Indian Muslims have been marginalised in politics and public life.
https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/india-muslims-marginalized-population-bjp-modi
This recent video reveals what is going on in India:
In the state of Karnataka, some Hindu right-wing youth entered a mosque, and repeatedly shouted ” Jai Shri Ram ”. The police registered a criminal case regarding the incident, but a Judge of the Karnataka High Court quashed it, saying no criminal offence had been committed.
To my mind the Judge was clearly wrong. At least 2 criminal offences were committed (1) criminal tresspass under section 447 Indian Penal Code, and (2) hurting religious feelings under 295A.
In several incidents, Hindu rightwing youth entered mosques, removed the green flag on it, and hoisted a saffron coloured flag ( saffron is symbolically a Hindu colour ).
https://www.dawn.com/news/1808405
Many incidents are reported of Hindu processions deliberately going into localities having a large Muslim population, and shouting filthy provocative abuses against Muslims, Prophet Muhammad, and Islam, to which there was naturally a reaction, and communal riots ensued.
https://frontline.thehindu.com/the-nation/seeds-of-hatred/article10074501.ece
Demolition of mosques and houses of Muslims often occur
https://thediplomat.com/2023/01/how-gujarats-khambhat-became-a-hotspot-for-anti-muslim-hate
Hindu festivals often witness anti-Muslim violence
https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/04/05/indias-hindu-festivals-bring-increasing-anti-muslim-violence
Hate speeches against Muslims and Islam are often delivered by Hindu bigots like Yati Narsinghanand and others, and have increased exponentially under BJP rule
There was a ban on saying namaz in parks and other public places, though there was no such restriction on RSS meetings there. I strongly criticised this
All this is no doubt politically motivated to get votes. But it disrupts the entire social fabric of India, and does us immense harm.
India is a country of tremendous diversity—numerous religions, castes, languages, ethnic groups, etc—and so the only way to hold the country together and take us on the path of progress is to give equal respects to all communities and sects. This was the path of suleh-e-kul shown by the great Mughal Emperor Akbar, whom I regard as the real Father of the Indian Nation.
http://justicekatju.blogspot.
It is not that I am critical of oppression of Muslims alone. I am equally critical of oppression of Hindus in Muslim majority areas like Kashmir, or in Pakistan.
I do not foresee the situation changing for a long time.
Hence India ( and Pakistan ) will remain jaahil (uncivilised) countries for long.
