By Sarah Khan
Since India’s Prime
Minister Narendra Modi has come into power BJP’s discriminatory policies
towards Indian Muslims, repeated visa denials to Pakistan and even US teams,
and growing religious extremism have alarmed the international community. Last
Week, the Indian government failed to issue visas to the US Commission on
International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) in time for a long planned trip to
India. A three-member delegation of USCIRF wanted to make a one-week visit to
meet with government officials, religious leaders and activists in India. The
goal of the Commission’s trip was to discuss and assess religious freedom
conditions in that nation. On 15 March, Indian authorities denied visa to five
Pakistani diplomats intended to visit Kolkata to boost morale of its cricket
team.
The United States
expressed disappointment over India's decision not to grant visa to members of
a US religious commission which reviews violations of religious freedom around
the world. State Department Spokesman John Kirby said, “We are aware
that visas were not issued by the Indian embassy to members of the US
Commission of International Religious Freedom commissioners (USCIRF), who were
planning to travel to India on the fourth of March, and we are disappointed by
this news." Robert P. George, Chairman of USCIRF stated
that “We are deeply disappointed by the Indian government’s denial, in
effect, of these visas. USCIRF has been able to travel to many countries.
One would expect that the Indian government would allow for more transparency.
USCIRF will continue to pursue a visit to India, given the ongoing reports
from religious communities, civil society groups, and NGOs that the conditions
for religious freedom in India have been deteriorating since 2014”.
Indian authorities denied visa to five Pakistani diplomats for the
World T20 encounter between India and Pakistan on March 19 citing security
reasons. The external affairs ministry has denied permission to the diplomats
in question for alleged links with Inter-Services Intelligence. It is
unfortunate that India, despite being the host of the World Cup, is refusing to
fulfill its obligations and creating hurdles. Previously, Indian authorities
also placed a limit of 250 visas on Pakistani spectators for each match
Pakistan team plays in the World T20 tournament. Earlier, Indian authorities in
Himachal Pradesh refused to ensure security of Pakistani cricket team and
spectators from Pakistan. Pakistan Cricket Board officials visited India and
discussed the security issue with Board of Cricket Control of India and
International Cricket Council after which the match was shifted to Kolkata.
This is not the first time Pakistani citizens have been denied
visa for entry into the neighbouring country. In June 2015, Pakistan's under-17
wrestling team's hopes of competing in the annual Cadet Asian Wrestling
Championship were dashed after the Indian High Commission denied them visas for the
event. In December 2015, the Pakistan volleyball team could not
participate in the AVC Continental Cup Beach Volleyball
Championship Central Zone, scheduled to be held in Kerala, India, from Dec 18
to 20, after it failed to get Indian visa. In January 2016, India rejected visa
applications of at least 75 Pakistani pilgrims wanting to visit Hafiz Abdullah
Shah shrine, near Agra on "procedural grounds". The decision to deny
visa was inconsistent with the vision of leadership of both the countries and
against the principles of Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines, 1974,
between the two countries.
Denial of visa to
Pakistani diplomats is a clear violation of basic diplomatic norms. Similarly,
refusing visa to USCIRF team to assess religious freedom conditions in India
exposes the insecurities of Hindu extremist BJP led government India. The BJP
policies are based on RSS ideology of Hindutva or Hindu nationalism with an
idea to form Akhand Bharat, or undivided Indian state which is true
representative of Hindu culture and religion. The BJP’s extremist actions and
discriminatory policies can be traced back to their first tenure in government
when events such as 1998 nuclear explosion, violence against Christians,
Gujarat carnage and strengthening of Indo-Israel ties are worth mentioning. Now
during the second term in office, the BJP government has used anti-Pakistan and
anti-Muslim sentiments as a tool to gain vote bank in the election campaign.
After establishing a pro-Indian government in Sri-Lanka, India is
pressuring Maldives for its larger hegemonic influence in the region. Recent
economic blockade with Nepal just because Nepal declared its constitution
secular against BJP demand of a Hindu constitution is a clear reflection of
narrow mindedness of Indian government. At the same time, India has increased
Line of Control/ Working Boundary violations along Kashmir and Pakistan-India
border and now it is covertly supporting non-state actors through its Indian
consulates in Afghanistan to create instability in Pakistan’s tribal areas and
Balochistan. India has shown open criticism to Pakistan-China Economic
Corridor (CPEC).
Hence, it is the dire
need of the hour that international community take concrete measures to control
BJP extremist actions and discriminatory policies. The UN along with other
major powers such as US, Russia, Japan, China etc. should pressurize India
follow basic diplomatic norms and protect rights of minorities and of Indian
Muslims. The RSS and other extremist elements must be checked and controlled to
reduce communal riots and human rights violations.
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