On September 23, two Muslim men were killed in a violent clash during a police operation to remove ‘illegal encroachments’ in the state of Assam, India. One of the victims was reportedly shot dead by police.
Later, a heart-wrenching video of the incident surfaced in which a photographer named Biju Bania was jumping on the victim Moin-ul-Haq’s chest after he was shot. According to the administration, photographer Biju was filming the incident with the local administration and was later taken into custody.
The conflict between Bangladeshi Muslims and locals in Assam has been a long-standing issue in Assam. The ongoing anti-encroachment campaign in India is not simply about encroachments, it is part of India’s plan to change demographics. The BJP government led by Hemant Biswa Sarma is targeting the state’s minority Muslims under the pretext of aggression.
Such a barbaric incident points to the poor training of the police and bubbling hate against Muslims. The British newspaper Financial Times has compared the incident to the George Floyd murder case in the United States.
“Just as the killing of George Floyd by a police officer in Minneapolis shows the roots of racial inequality and police violence in the United States, the barbarism in Assam shows the acceptance of hatred, violence and punishment in India,” the newspaper wrote.
Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) issued a statement on Twitter and termed the media coverage of the case as shameful and called on India to act responsibly. Instead of taking responsibility, the Indian government started its trademark blame game and warned OIC for interfering in India’s internal affairs.
India has never been able to rise above religious bias and sectarian prejudices. In the past, political leaders have sought to reduce sectarian harmony and diversity. But the right-wing Hindu nationalist organization and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party have fueled the deep-rooted hatred. Muslim minorities have always been portrayed as a threat to the Hindu majority.
Love Jihad, Corona Jihad, Delhi riots, violence perpetrated by Hindu religious organizations in Chattisgarh last week, farmers’ movement, Article 370, and most recently, “Marks Jihad” in India are red flags indicating impeding Muslim genocide in India.
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