Ironically, India, a country whose founders had promised a secular state where the rights of all communities would be respected, has turned into a country where Muslims face a perilous existence. Most recently, this has been highlighted by the attacks made on people in India – mainly Muslims – who supported the Pakistan cricket team. Those Indian cricketers who took a stand against the vilification of fellow players, particularly Muhammad Shami, have also been subjected to much hatred online. There is no evidence that the cricketers had in any way betrayed their own team or backed the opposition, but this does not stop the tirades against them or the general insistence that Indian Muslims are not patriotic. There are of course many other instances of the manner in which Muslims have been cast into the role of third or even fourth class citizens or perhaps not citizens at all. Kashmir is an example. Other examples come from Assam, where a pogrom has been conducted. Many fear other pogroms in the future.
The arrest of the son of Shahrukh Khan on a drugs charge is also seen as a means to set an example to Muslims and show them that no one will be let off the hook, no matter what their fame or what their contribution to Indian society. The matter is of course one that has to be decided by the courts, but simply the fact that many Indian Muslims and others outside India believe it is a case of discrimination shows the kind of society that has been created in a country that once prided itself for its tolerance. At the moment it stands amongst the worst offenders of human rights in the world.
The problem has also reached onto social media and all its platforms. There is evidence emerging that those who run Facebook knew about the anti-Muslim speech and hate speech splashed across Facebook mostly in the context of India. Although Facebook’s policy bans hate speech of this kind, nothing was done to penalise those making such posts, to delete them or to act in support of those who were being targeted in this campaign of hate. There are also sporadic reports of attacks on Muslims in villages and even schools across India and a fear that the situation could worsen in the future. It is sad that very few, indeed almost none, prominent Indians have stood up openly against the discrimination Muslims face in India. Narendra Modi has been able to conduct his campaign without restraint and without any real attempt to bring it to a halt. It is also sad that the world has not spoken loudly enough and that this campaign against Muslims continues without any signs of an end.