Washington, D.C, At the International Religious Freedom Summit 2024, Arfa Khanum Sherwani, a prominent Indian journalist, voiced concerns over the rise of Hindutva, or Hindu supremacy, labeling it as the most significant threat to secularism and religious freedom in India since the assassination of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Sherwani, Senior Editor at The Wire, during her address at the summit organized by the Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) in Washington, directly linked the current ruling ideology in India with the forces responsible for Gandhi’s assassination. She challenged the narrative that reduces anti-Muslim violence in India to mere communal clashes, instead framing it as systematic state persecution of Indian Muslims. Sherwani expressed fears of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration moving towards formalizing second-class citizenship for Muslims and altering the constitution fundamentally.
Nadine Maenza, President of the IRF Secretariat and former Chair of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), highlighted the coordinated efforts of Hindu nationalists and the BJP government in targeting religious and ethnic minorities. She cited increasing incidents of hate speech, discriminatory policies, and violent attacks against these communities.
Sukhman Dhami, Co-Founder of Ensaaf, underscored the entrenched culture of impunity in India, which has led to persistent persecution and human rights violations. Dhami also raised concerns about the Indian government’s alleged international assassination orders, suggesting a boldness born from domestic impunity.
Siju Thomas, Director of Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) International India, reported a sharp increase in hate crimes against Christians, with incidents of mob violence nearing 700 in the past year alone. This marked rise in violence underscores a broader pattern of intolerance and aggression towards minorities.
Father Christu Rajan from the Archdiocese of Madras-Mylapore warned of continuous attacks on the Indian constitution, suggesting that the secular nature of India is at risk. He relayed fears within minority communities of losing voting rights under a new constitution.
Ajit Sahi, Advocacy Director at IAMC, criticized the lack of action against Hindu majoritarian extremists who attack religious minorities and their places of worship, forcing them to chant Hindu slogans.
Bina Nepram, Founder of the Northeast India Women Initiative for Peace, called for a nation-building process based on love rather than violence, highlighting the weaponization of identity, religion, and politics in the current climate.
The summit in Washington brought together voices from across the globe to shed light on the escalating threats to religious freedom in India, urging immediate international attention and action.
Karachi, In a significant move towards recovery and resilience in the aftermath of the devastating 2022 floods, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), with backing from the Government of Japan and in partnership with Islamic Relief Pakistan, has intensified its support for the flood-affected people of Sindh. The floods, which impacted 33 million people, resulted in over 1,700 deaths, displaced more than 8 million individuals, and pushed an additional 9 million into extreme poverty, have prompted a concerted effort to aid in the recovery of the affected communities.
According to United Nations Development Programme, a handover event in the Dadu and Larkana districts of Sindh marked the distribution of essential aid and toolkits aimed at facilitating significant improvements in the lives of the community members. In an effort to support sustainable recovery, UNDP has distributed 2,000 solar panels to provide renewable energy solutions and 2,000 water filters to ensure access to clean water, a critical measure in promoting public health and preventing waterborne diseases. Additionally, thousands of agricultural toolkits were handed out to assist households in their agricultural, reconstruction, and recovery endeavors.
Mr. Hisashi Izumi, Programme Manager of the Floods Recovery Programme (FRP) at UNDP Pakistan, expressed his gratitude for the Japanese Government’s generous support, highlighting the project’s goal to assist over 15,000 people. The initiative is designed to offer scalable support to vulnerable populations, especially women and adolescent girls, by addressing their unique challenges through targeted interventions.
The collaboration underscores the urgency of addressing the needs of disaster-stricken communities and the importance of building more resilient communities capable of withstanding future shocks. UNDP’s commitment to fostering transformational change highlights the critical need for continued and scaled-up responses to aid those most affected by the floods.