Religiophobia towards Hinduism, Sikhism should even be acknowledged: India abstains in UNGA on Pakistan’s decision on Islamophobia

India abstained within the U.N. Normal Meeting on a draft decision launched by Pakistan and co-sponsored by China on Islamophobia, asserting that the prevalence of “religiophobia” towards Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and different faiths dealing with violence and discrimination should even be acknowledged reasonably than singling out only one faith.

The 193-member Normal Meeting adopted the decision ‘Measures to fight Islamophobia’, launched by Pakistan on Friday, with 115 nations voting in favour, none towards and 44 abstentions, together with India, Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, Ukraine and the U.Okay.

India’s Everlasting Consultant to the U.N. Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj voiced condemnation of all acts motivated by anti-Semitism, Christianophobia and Islamophobia however asserted that it’s essential to acknowledge that such phobias lengthen past Abrahamic religions.

“Clear proof exhibits that over many years, followers of non-Abrahamic religions have additionally been affected by religiophobia. This has led to the emergence of latest types of religiophobia, notably anti-Hindu, anti-Buddhist and anti-Sikh sentiments,” she mentioned, in an evidence of India’s place on the decision.

India burdened that the adoption of the decision mustn’t set up a precedent that would lead to quite a few resolutions centred on phobias tied to particular religions, “doubtlessly dividing the United Nations into non secular camps.” “It’s essential for the U.N. to take care of its stance above such non secular issues, which have the potential to fragment us reasonably than unite us underneath the banner of peace and concord, embracing the world as one world household,” Ms. Kamboj mentioned.

India referred to as on all member states to contemplate the broader scope of non secular discrimination that persists globally.

“Whereas the problem of Islamophobia is undoubtedly vital, we should acknowledge that different religions are additionally dealing with discrimination and violence. Allocating assets solely to fight Islamophobia, whereas neglecting comparable challenges confronted by different faiths, would possibly inadvertently perpetuate a way of exclusion and inequality,” she mentioned.

Ms. Kamboj advised the U.N. Normal Meeting that “it’s essential to recognise” that Hinduism, with over 1.2 billion followers, Buddhism with greater than 535 million and Sikhism with over 30 million followers worldwide, are all topic to religiophobia.

“It’s time that we acknowledge the prevalence of religiophobia, reasonably than single out only one,” she mentioned.

Ms. Kamboj mentioned the up to date types of religiophobia are evident within the growing assaults on non secular locations of worship corresponding to gurudwaras, monasteries and temples, in addition to the spreading of hatred and disinformation towards non-Abrahamic religions in lots of nations.

“The destruction of the Bamiyan Buddhas, violations of gurudwara premises, massacres of Sikh pilgrims in gurudwaras, assaults on temples, and the glorification of breaking idols in temples all contribute to the rise of latest types of religiophobia towards non-Abrahamic religions,” she mentioned.

The destruction of the large Buddha statues of Bamiyan in Afghanistan by the Taliban in March 2001 led to world condemnation.

Ms. Kamboj underlined that India stands towards all types of religiophobia, be it antisemitism, Christianophobia, or Islamophobia, as “we stand towards all anti-Hindu, anti-Buddhist, and anti-Sikh sentiments.”

The decision condemned the incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence towards Muslims as manifested within the growing variety of incidents of desecration of their holy ebook, assaults on mosques, websites and shrines and different acts of non secular intolerance, unfavourable stereotyping, hatred and violence towards Muslims.

It additionally requested U.N. Secretary-Normal Antonio Guterres to nominate a United Nations Particular Envoy to fight Islamophobia.

India mentioned it “in precept” is against the creation of the submit of a Particular Envoy on the idea of a single faith, she mentioned.

Ms. Kamboj identified that the substantial budgetary implications of creating such a place “immediate us to pause and mirror on whether or not that is the simplest use of assets. May we not obtain larger influence by a extra inclusive strategy that addresses non secular discrimination in its entirety?”

She underscored that India’s wealthy historical past as a pluralistic and democratic nation, embracing numerous religions, has lengthy served as a refuge for these persecuted for his or her religion.

“Whether or not Zoroastrians, Buddhists, Jews, or adherents of some other perception, they’ve persistently present in India a sanctuary free from persecution or discrimination,” she mentioned.

Previous to adopting the decision, the Meeting rejected two amendments to the draft launched by Belgium on behalf of the EU. India voted in favour of each the amendments.

One modification proposed adjustments within the decision’s language to take away references to the desecration of the Quran.

The opposite modification would have referred to as for the appointment of a “United Nations point of interest, inside current constructions and assets, to fight anti-Muslim discrimination” as an alternative of a U.N. particular envoy.

The Normal Meeting adopted a decision in 2022 proclaiming March 15 because the Worldwide Day to Fight Islamophobia within the wake of the 2019 mass shootings in two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand that had killed over 50 folks.

In his remarks to mark the day, Mr. Guterres mentioned that world wide, there’s a rising tide of anti-Muslim hate and bigotry in lots of types corresponding to structural and systemic discrimination, unequal immigration insurance policies, unwarranted surveillance and profiling and restrictions in accessing citizenship, training, employment and justice.

The U.N. chief additionally voiced concern over “supremacist ideologies and assaults” towards Jews, minority Christian communities and lots of others. “Hatred of 1 group fuels hatred of one other. Hate normalises hate. Hate destroys the material of our societies,” he mentioned.