Islamophobia: India declined to vote on a draft resolution on Islamophobia in the UN General Assembly that was presented by Pakistan and co-sponsored by China. India argued that rather than focusing only on one religion, it was important to acknowledge the prevalence of “religiophobia” against other faiths that face discrimination and violence, such as Buddhism, Sikhism, and Hinduism.
Measures to Combat Islamophobia
The resolution “Measures to combat Islamophobia,” which was proposed by Pakistan on Friday, was accepted by the 193-member General Assembly with 115 votes in favour, 0 against, and 44 abstentions, including those from Brazil, India, France, Germany, Italy, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom.
Ruchira Kamboj, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, expressed her condemnation of all acts driven by anti-Semitism, Christianophobia, and Islamophobia, but she also stated that it is imperative to recognise that these phobias are not exclusive to any particular religion among the Abrahamic faiths.
Recognition of Religiophobia Beyond Abrahamic Faiths
“Clear evidence shows that over decades, followers of non-Abrahamic religions have also been affected by religiophobia. This has led to the emergence of contemporary forms of religiophobia, particularly anti-Hindu, anti-Buddhist and anti-Sikh sentiments,” Ruchira Kamboj said.
India emphasised that the resolution’s approval shouldn’t set a precedent for other resolutions centred on phobias associated with particular religions. “potentially dividing the United Nations into religious camps. “It is crucial for the UN to maintain its stance above such religious concerns, which have the potential to fragment us rather than unite us under the banner of peace and harmony, embracing the world as one global family,” Kamboj said.
India’s Call for Recognition of Religious Prejudice
India urged all of the member nations to take into account the wider range of religious prejudice that still exists on a global scale. “While the issue of Islamophobia is undoubtedly significant, we must acknowledge that other religions are also facing discrimination and violence. Allocating resources solely to combat Islamophobia, while neglecting similar challenges faced by other faiths, might inadvertently perpetuate a sense of exclusion and inequality,” she said.
Speaking to the UN General Assembly, Kamboj stated that “it is crucial to recognise” that religious prejudice affects over 1.2 billion adherents of Hinduism, over 535 million followers of Buddhism, and over 30 million followers of Sikhism globally. “It is time that we acknowledge the prevalence of religiophobia, rather than single out just one,” she said.
Modern Manifestations of Religiophobia
According to Kamboj, there are modern manifestations of religiophobia that may be seen in the rise in attacks on houses of worship like gurudwaras, monasteries, and temples, as well as the dissemination of misinformation and hostility towards non-Abrahamic religions throughout many nations.
“The destruction of the Bamiyan Buddhas, violations of gurudwara premises, massacres of Sikh pilgrims in gurudwaras, attacks on temples, and the glorification of breaking idols in temples all contribute to the rise of contemporary forms of religiophobia against non-Abrahamic religions,” she said. The world condemned the Taliban for demolishing the enormous Buddha sculptures of Bamiyan in Afghanistan in March 2001. India, according to Kamboj, “stands against all anti-Hindu, anti-Buddhist, and anti-Sikh sentiments,” which includes antisemitism, Christianophobia, and Islamophobia.
Denouncement of Religious Intolerance
As evidenced by the rising number of incidents of Muslims defiling their holy book, attacks on mosques, sites, and shrines, as well as other acts of religious intolerance, negative stereotyping, hatred, and violence against Muslims, the resolution denounced the incitement to discrimination, hostility, or violence against Muslims.
Additionally, it asked Antonio Guterres, the secretary-general of the UN, to name a UN Special Envoy to fight Islamophobia. India stated that it is “in principle” against the appointment of a Special Envoy based only on one faith.
Evaluating Resource Allocation
The significant financial ramifications of creating a post like this, according to Kamboj, “prompt us to pause and reflect on whether this is the most effective use of resources.” Could a more inclusive strategy that tackles religious discrimination head-on not have a bigger impact?
She emphasised that those who are persecuted for their faith have traditionally found sanctuary in India because of the country’s rich heritage as a democratic and heterogeneous society that embraces a wide range of religions. “Whether Zoroastrians, Buddhists, Jews, or adherents of any other belief, they have consistently found in India a sanctuary free from persecution or discrimination,” she said.
Elimination of Quran Desecration Mention
Two changes to the draft brought forward by Belgium on behalf of the EU were rejected by the Assembly prior to the adoption of the resolution. India supported both of the changes with its vote. A suggested modification aimed to eliminate any mention of the desecration of the Quran from the resolution’s wording. In place of a UN special envoy, the alternative amendment would have mandated the establishment of a “United Nations focal point, within existing structures and resources, to combat anti-Muslim discrimination.”
Establishment of International Day to Combat Islamophobia
The International Day to Combat Islamophobia was declared by the General Assembly in 2022 in response to the deadly shootings in two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand in 2019 that left over 50 people dead.
During his remarks on this day, Guterres stated that anti-Muslim prejudice and hatred are on the rise everywhere in the world. These prejudices can take many different forms, including systemic and structural discrimination, unfair immigration laws, unjustified surveillance and profiling, and barriers to citizenship, justice, employment, and education.
Concern over “supremacist ideologies and attacks” against Jews, minority Christian populations, and numerous other groups was also expressed by the UN chief. Anger towards one group feeds animosity towards another. Hatred makes hatred normal. The fabric of our civilizations is destroyed by hate, he declared.
