The Society of Seminary Teachers of Qom Urge OIC to Defend Rights of Indian Muslims

The Society of Seminary Teachers of Qom issued a statement condemning the recent events in India and calling for Organization of the Islamic Conference to act in regard their Islamic and humanitarian duty to defend the indisputable rights of the Muslims of India .

Anti-Muslim violence began in India amid widespread protests over a citizenship law that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist government introduced in December 2019, offering a path to Indian citizenship for six religious groups from neighboring countries, specifically excluding Muslims.

Critics insist the law is discriminatory, coming in the wake of other severe government measures against the country’s Muslim population such as withdrawal of autonomy for Muslim-majority Jammu and Kashmir province that has intensified discord across India about the future of its 200 million Muslims.

Over 40 people were killed by Hindu mobs this week, with hundreds more reported injured amid news accounts of largely useless police intervention to end the violence and meager international criticism of New Delhi’s failure to protect its minority Muslim population.

According to the UK-based Independent newspaper, Hindu nationalist mobs roamed the streets of New Delhi on February 23, “burning and looting mosques together with Muslim homes, shops and businesses.

The text of the statement is as follows:

In the Name of God, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

Increasing tensions, religious and sectarian conflict and political protests against the laws of the ruling government in India, as well as the protests that have led to the killing of a large number of Muslims, have raised concerns.

India is a country where many various religions, sects and sectarian opinions have lived together for many years and today it isn’t suitable to be turned into a place of bloody strife and sectarian conflict.

Condemning these actions, the Society of Seminary Teachers of Qom calls on the officials of the country’s diplomatic apparatus to pursue the events in India in respect to all ethical and political relationships in and to strive to achieve peace and health for the Muslims of India.

The discriminatory policy of denying citizenship to Muslims in India has angered Muslims in India and elsewhere. We call on the government to uphold the rights of all Indian citizens on the basis of justice, respect for international law and citizenship. We also call on the Organization of the Islamic Conference to act in regard their Islamic and humanitarian duty to defend the indisputable rights of the Muslims of India. We must use all of our capacities and opportunities to bring an end to the conflicts and to achieve political stability and coexistence.

May the peace, mercy and blessings of God be with you,‎
Mohammad Yazdi ‎
Head of the Supreme Council of the Society of Seminary Teachers of Qom