On Tuesday, the Foreign Office expressed concern regarding the possibility of additional Indian “tragedies,” such as the incident at the Babri mosque on the 30th anniversary of its demolition.
The destruction had ignited cross country revolts that killed in excess of 3,000 individuals in a decades-in length debate that has powered Hindu-Muslim pressure.
The FO said in a press release today that Indian Hindu supremacist groups wanted to turn some other mosques into temples, including the Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi.
These demands could result in additional tragedies like the one at the Babri mosque.
Indian Muslims’ religious freedoms are consistently violated. According to the press release, “The ruling party in India continues to incite hysteria and hatred against Muslims.”
Today marks the 30th anniversary of demolition of historic Babri Mosque بابری مسجد. A process of revisionism put into motion by Hindu extremists has now become a living nightmare for Indian Muslims & other minorities. World needs to take note of rising religious hatred in India. pic.twitter.com/i8221iZwdd
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) December 6, 2022
The anniversary served as “a sad reminder of the growing anti-Muslim frenzy in India ever since,” according to the FO.
“We condemn the acquittal of the criminals responsible for its destruction and the ongoing construction of a Hindu temple on the site of the mosque that was destroyed.”
The FO demanded that the Indian government “ensure that the Babri mosque is rebuilt on its original site” and handed out “befitting punishment” to those responsible for the destruction.
It is 30 years since a mob of Hindu supremacists destroyed historic Babri Mosque in Ayodhya in India. The forces of religious fanaticism & Islamophobia unleashed that dark day have grown in strength in India. This must not go unnoticed. Islamic heritage must be protected. pic.twitter.com/OlG7zjdefS
— BilawalBhuttoZardari (@BBhuttoZardari) December 6, 2022
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation had also made the same demands in its various pronouncements, according to the press release.
The FO said the Indian government expected to guarantee the wellbeing, security and insurance of minorities, especially Muslims and their places of love.
“The growing Islamophobia, hate speech, and hate crimes in India must be recognized by the international community. We call on the international community, the United Nations, and other relevant international organizations to protect India’s Islamic heritage sites from the extremist “Hindutva” regime.
A “process of revisionism put into motion by Hindu extremists has now become a living nightmare for Indian Muslims and other minorities,” Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said in honor of the occasion.
He stated that the world should be aware of India’s rising religious hostility.
In the meantime, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari emphasized the importance of safeguarding Islamic heritage.
“It has been 30 years since a group of Hindu supremacists tore down the historic Babri mosque. The forces of religious fanaticism and Islamophobia that were unleashed on that terrible day have grown in strength in India. He tweeted, “This must not go unnoticed.”
Muslim sites targeted in India
Fundamentalist Hindu groups in India are looking into other Muslim sites thirty years after rioters destroyed the historic Babri Mosque in Ayodhya, triggering a wave of sectarian violence that resulted in the deaths of thousands.
The fringe groups believe that the sites were built on top of Hindu temples, which they consider to be representations of India’s “true” religion. They are encouraged to believe this by Hindu nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi, assisted by the courts, and fueled by social media.
The Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi, one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, where Hindus are cremated by the Ganges, is currently in the greatest danger.
One of the mosques in northern Uttar Pradesh that Hindu extremists believe was constructed on top of demolished Hindu temples is the Gyanvapi mosque, which is in Modi’s constituency.
Some groups have even set their sights on the Taj Mahal, India’s most famous monument and a Unesco world heritage site that draws millions of tourists annually.
They believe that Shah Jahan, the Mughal emperor, built the 17th-century mausoleum on the site of a Shiva shrine, despite the lack of evidence to support this claim.
However, despite the fact that the fundamentalists still believe that the Taj Mahal should be demolished, other sites are also under threat.
The Shahi Eidgah mosque in Mathura is one of them. It was built by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb after he attacked the city in 1670 and destroyed its temples. The mosque is next to a later temple that was built on the spot where the Hindu god Krishna is said to have been born.
Qutub Minar, a 13th-century victory tower and minaret constructed by the Mamluk dynasty from Central Asia, is another. Some Hindu groups hold the belief that a Hindu king built the complex, which contained more than 25 temples.
Source: Dawn News
