COVID-19; A greater disaster for Indian Muslims

Since the outbreak of COVID-19 across the world has been admitted as a human catastrophe; World Health Organization (WHO) has recognized that Corona Virus disease a ‘pandemic’; world leaders and global organizations have taken hard steps at national policy level to contain the spread of COVID-19; the reaction of Modi-government in India towards this global disaster seems to be mind-boggling.

The BJP-run Modi government has left no stone unturned to dehumanize Indian Muslims even at this critical moment when India requires rational policies to secure one of the fundamental rights of its citizens’ the right to life. Hindutva ideology shaped under Rashtriya Savayamsenk Sangh (RSS) and now nurtured by BJP has proved to be disastrous for Indian Muslims.

Since the outbreak of COVID-19 in India, Indian government keeps on blaming Muslim citizens for its spread. Some politicians of the ruling party BJP have vividly remarked against Muslims. Since then, extremist Indian nationalists have considered that narrative as a tool to inculcate racism in the country.

“The situation is approaching genocidal”.

Arundhati Roy

The renowned author and journalist Arundhati Roy has accused Modi’s government of using the COVID-19 crisis to incite hatred towards Muslims. She rationally explained the circumstances by saying, “The situation is approaching genocidal”. Indian Muslims are facing the threat of violence for years even decades. Back in February 2020, many Indian Muslims were targeted in deadly riots in Delhi as well.

Now, it rests upon the world community to pressurize the Indian government to face the global challenge of COVID-19 with rational mindset instead of floating xenophobic ideas among its citizens. Pakistan ‘s foreign minister Shah Mehmood Quraishi has rightly drawn the attention of Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to Indian Muslim’ s plight. Presently, Pakistan needs to raise such voices on all international forums.