ISLAMABAD, Nov 17, (Asia Free Press): Pakistan on Thursday has strongly condemned the Indian authorities action against Muslims to barred them from gathering and offering Friday prayer in northern Haryana state.
In a statement, the Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said state government of the ruling BJP party has imposed restrictions and banned Muslims to offering Friday prayer in Haryana, northern state adjacent to capital New Delhi.
“Pakistan strongly condemns the restrictions imposed by BJP’s Haryana government on offering Friday prayers by Muslims at several places in the state,” the foreign ministry said and adding “We are also deeply concerned over continued vandalisation of mosques and attacks against prayer places of Muslims by Sangh Parivar extremists with complicity of BJP ruled states of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.”
On November 2, the local authorities in Haryana state had cancelled permission for Muslims to offering Friday prayer at eight different sites in the Gurgaon district on demand of the local extremist Hindus.
The local administration said that they will also cancelled the permission of other sites if local residents demanded.
The local authorities move came after a weeks-long campaign by Hindu groups and local residents who had been disrupting the Friday prayers at those sites by playing religious songs on loudspeakers and raising hate slogans, according to Al-Jazeera.
An umbrella group of Hindu groups, called the Sanyukt Hindu Sangharsh Samiti (Joint Hindu Struggle Committee), affiliated with ruling BJP party also even issued an “ultimatum” to the authorities, saying they would stop Muslim prayers themselves if the Gurugram administration fails to do so.
“In another abhorrent act of sacrilege of Muslim religious places, radical Hindu groups reportedly dumped cow dung at several places of Friday prayers,” said the Pakistan foreign ministry.
Last month, the extremist Hindus also carried out attacks on Muslims properties in North-Eastern Tripura state, vandalised 16 mosques and ablaze dozens house and shops of Muslims.
“The senseless attacks against Muslims and their places of worship, houses and businesses are continuing in Tripura as well despite international concern. The BJP ruled states have arrested hundreds of individuals including well known advocates and journalists under the draconian laws such as Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for raising voice against gross and systematic human rights violations of minorities particularly Muslims,” the statement added.
Earlier, the extremist Hindu groups including BJP activists also carried out attacks against Muslims In Maharashtra, where dozens Muslims’ shops, mosques and shrines were destroyed.
Pakistan urged the international community to take its notice and immediately stop violent attacks against Muslim in India.
“Pakistan calls on the international community, particularly the United Nations and relevant international human rights and humanitarian organizations to fulfill their responsibilities to stop the rising Islamophobia and violent attacks against minorities particularly Muslims in India and ensure their safety, security and well-being and the protection of their places of worship,” said the foreign ministry
