The Islamic State of Pakistan, where even Muslim minorities are not safe, has condemned attacks on mosques and Muslim owned properties by radical Hindu mobs in Tripura, a northeastern state in India led by the Hindutva party, the BJP.
The Foreign Ministry on Friday accused Indian authorities of failing to protect the Muslims in India and blamed New Delhi for turning a blind eye despite repeated calls for help by the local Muslim organizations.
“It is reprehensible that the Hindutva driven BJP-RSS combine has a track record of conducting massacres and systemic human rights violations of Muslims under its watch, from Gujarat in 2002 to New Delhi in 2020,” said Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, spokesman of the Pakistani Foreign Ministry.
The ministry statement said India left “little space for minorities and their way of life”.
“It is equally condemnable that targeted and brutal eviction of Muslims from their decades-old homes in Assam continues unabated.”
Pakistan urged the international community to help stop attacks against the Indian Muslims and mosques. It pointed out the rising trend of Islamophobia in India’.
The Pakistani statement was in reference to the statement from the Association for Protection of Civil Rights, a civil rights group, which revealed that about 16 mosques were vandalized and houses and shops belonging to Muslims were set ablaze over the last week in Tripura.
The rights group stated that there were at least 27 confirmed incidents of Hindu right-wing mobs attacking mosques, houses, and individuals in Muslim areas.
As per the rights group, mosques were vandalized and flags of radical Hindu outfit, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), were forcibly hoisted on them.
As per the group, at least three mosques, including – Palbazar mosque in the Unakoti district, Dogra Masjid in the Gomati district, and Narola Tila in Vishalgarh town – were set on fire.
The APCR blamed the attacks on various right-wing groups, including the VHP, which had ‘ostensibly gathered to protest anti-Hindu violence in Bangladesh’.
A viral video on Social media shows the vandalism and people who were part of the rally could be heard chanting “Tripura me Mullagiri nahi chalega, nahi chalega” and “Oh Mohammad tera baap, Hare Krishna Hare Ram”.
The Tripura police statement said all mosques in the region are under their protection and the situation is under control.
“On Tuesday, one mosque was vandalized and three shops and three houses belonging to the Muslim community were set ablaze after a procession by workers of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (World Hindu Council) was taken out in protest of a recent incident in Bangladesh,” said Lalhminga Darlong, deputy inspector general of police.