Torture to Muslims by BJP in India – Bangladesh Diplomat

Although India's constitution is established in the ideology of secularism, concerns over the religious and property rights of the minority Muslim community have been increasing in recent years. Currently, the Hindutva BJP government is in power in India. And the way they are killing Muslims from the attacks on Muslims, including the Muslims of the Muslim Narendra Modi-backed Union Home Minister Amit Shah, are killing Muslims, including the mosque-madrasa, and the occupied Israelis in Palestine.

Since the BJP came to power under the leadership of Narendra Modi, the incidents of violence committed by Muslims by extremist Hindutva groups across the country have increased significantly. The Muslim community has been subjected to discrimination and attack on the killing of Muslims, killing of Muslims in the name of protecting cows, suppressing anti-Caa (CAA) protests and occupation of waqf property.

The Government of India has passed the Lok Sabha on April 7 this month by amending 'Waqf Act, 1'. The next day (April 7), the bill was approved by the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of Parliament. Then in less than 24 hours, the bill agreed to the Indian President Draupadi Murmu and the Gazette after the publication of the Gazette.

Waqf property includes mosques, shrines, cemetery and donated land – which is more than $ 1 billion. The new amendment also included 'non -Muslims on the Waqf Board', which raised concerns among the Muslim community. The ruling BJP is claiming that it is necessary to bring transparency. But which is basically an attempt to diminish the rights of Muslims.

The Waqf Amendment Bill and Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, made by the BJP government in 2021-220 have raised questions about the occupation of Waqf land in Uttar Pradesh. According to a report by Al Jazeera, the local administration is occupying the land listed by the Waqf Board in the name of various projects. These lands have mosques, madrasas and cemetery, they are being demolished or used for other purposes.

What is Waqf property and why is it important?

Waqf is a donating trust under Islamic law, where a Muslim person sacrifices his property (land, home, business establishment) in the name of Allah. Income from this property is spent on religious, educational or social work.

There are more than 1 lakh 3 thousand waqf property in India. These properties are governed by the Waqf Board in each state and union region. These boards are the largest landowners in the urban areas of India and the third largest (after the army and railway).

Human rights violations and oppression of extremist Hindutva against Muslims:

Waqf property in Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh has been taken under the government or Hindu organization. The Modi administration and the police are supporting the extremist Hindutva to take possession. The attack on Muslims, vandalism and communal provocation of Muslims has increased due to dispute over the Waqf land. Muslim leaders refer to the arrest and harassment of the members of the Waqf board, saying it is an 'organizational Islamophobia'.

Extreme BJP and its allies (RSS, Bajrang Dal, VHP) claim that the bill is needed to eliminate Waqf property 'illegal occupation'. However, in reality, the dominance of the extremist Hindutva is being dominated by the Muslim -dominated area. Mosques and schools built on Waqf land in Delhi have been declared 'illegal'. Besides, more than 5 waqf property has been ordered during the Uttar Pradesh Yogi government.

Destroy the historic mosque in Indore:

Last month, Indore Purnigam broke a 5 -year -old mosque. Meanwhile, in Madhya Pradesh, in the last one year, the acquisition of 12 waqf property has also occupied five mosques/madrasas and 12 cemeteries. Modi -backed administration ordered the closure of more than 5 madrasas in Uttar Pradesh in 2021.

Hijab is banned:

Six Muslim students from a government college in Udupi, Karnataka were not allowed to enter the class due to the hijar. They complain that the teachers do not like the class after the hijab, they do not like it. Attendance was not given regularly in college.

International response:

Amnesty International, an international human rights organization, warned the Government of India that the bill was 'violated the rights of religious minorities'.
The USCIRF report in the United States advised India to list “worrying countries in religious independence”.

Protests of Muslim community:

The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) has called this bill a “attack on constitutional rights”. Meanwhile, the central government in India has claimed the purpose of the Waqf Bill is to 'eliminate corruption and proper management of property'. Analysts, however, believe that it is part of the 'Hindutva' agenda 'which wants to weaken Muslims politically and economically.

Greater political context:

As part of the implementation of the Hindutva Agenda, the Extremist Hindutva BJP is planning to break their education and religious institutions by weakening Muslims through the amendment to 'Waqf Act, 1'.

The bill is to strengthen the Hindu vote bank so that the conflict in the name of 'temple construction' or 'Hindu tradition' increases. Besides, the Muslims will be politically weak by losing their property as voters of Muslims. Their plans are also in the midst of eliminating post-Mughal structures and establishing the Narrative of the Hindu state.

Violence against the Muslims of the BJP is not just an isolated event – it is a 'strategy of forming a Hindu state'. Muslim killings in the name of protecting cows, economic boycotts from the destruction of mosques – every step is an attempt to weaken Muslims political, economic and socially. This trend has increased further since the 2021 elections.

Ibrahim Zahid, student and media activist.