The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has condemned the continued scapegoating and attacks of Muslims in India due to false rumors over the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19), often accompanied by dangerous rhetoric by politicians.
In a twitter statement, the USCIRF said that the ongoing stigmatization of Indian Muslims can breed further discrimination and violence.
USCIRF condemns the continued scapegoating and attacks of Muslims in #India due to false rumors over the spread of #coronavirus, often accompanied by dangerous rhetoric by politicians.
This stigmatization can breed further discrimination and violence. https://t.co/tKqIDU6DjY
— USCIRF (@USCIRF) April 13, 2020
In India, the outbreak of COVID-19 is accelerating exponentially and by now, more than 10,500 people have been infected by the virus while 358 of them have lost their lives to it.
Earlier today, the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced to extend the lockdown throughout the Country till May 30, and asked the people to remain disciplined in the fight against the pandemic.
Meanwhile, the COVID-19 outbreak in India has set off a series of attacks against Muslims across the Country, as Modi’s Hindu nationalist government is claiming that Muslims are spreading the virus.
In a report, the leading US daily “The New York Times” said that some Hindu nationalist politicians and their supporters are eagerly piling on anti-Muslim sentiments that have been building in recent years under the Modi’s government.
The British daily newspaper “The Guardian” in its story titled “Coronavirus conspiracy theories targeting Muslims spread in India” has also highlighted the plight of the Indian Muslims amid the false accusations.
Separately, the Muslim leaders have expressed serious concern over the new wave of hatred against Indian Muslims.
The Chairman of the Islamic Center of India Khalid Rasheed said that if you present the Coronavirus Cases based on somebody’s religion in your media briefings, it creates a big divide.
Khalid Rasheed said that Coronavirus may die but the virus of communal disharmony will be hard to kill when this is over.
