Indian Muslims face heightened risk of social exclusion, violence: FO.

Byline: Baqir Sajjad Syed

ISLAMABAD -- The Foreign Office said on Thursday that Muslims in India were at heightened risk of social exclusion and violence after being blamed for the spread of the coronavirus.

'It is deeply disconcerting that the discriminatory and anti-Muslim policies and practices of the RSS-inspired BJP government persist even as the Covid-19 pandemic unfolds. A systematic campaign is unfortunately under way to demonise Muslims, who face increased exclusion as well as the threat of mob violence,' FO spokesperson Aisha Farooqui said during the weekly media briefing.

Muslims in India are being scapegoated for the spread of coronavirus. This anti-Muslim propaganda, which has been encouraged by the ruling BJP and fuelled by Indian TV channels, has further widened the gulf between India's Muslim minority and Hindu majority. It all started after the spread of the disease in India was linked to a Tableeghi Jamaat gathering in Delhi in March.

There have been sporadic incidents of violence against the Muslim community, but expression of hatred against the Muslims has become more pronounced. Hospitals have refused to treat Muslim patients, neighbourhoods have discussed stopping Muslims from entering them and people have been removed from jobs.

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The Muslims increasingly faced discrimination and violence since Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power in 2014. Some of anti-Muslim actions enjoyed backing of the state, which particularly emboldened Hindu zealots. The situation aggravated during Mr Modi's second term when the government took several anti-Muslim steps, adding to the marginalisation of India's 200 million Muslim community, including the annexation of occupied Kashmir, enactment of controversial CitizenAship Amendment Act, finalisation of National Register of Citizens in Assam and plans for implementing it throughout the country.

'These instances have...