A Nigeria based Islamic human rights organization,the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has condemned the harsh treatment of Indian Muslims by the Indian government. The group asked the Nigerian government to summon the Indian ambassador to Nigeria in order to lodge an official complaint against India and to warn the latter against further escalation.
MURIC’s complaint to the Nigerian government was contained in a statement issued by the director of the group, Professor Ishaq Akintola on Thursday, 26th June, 2022.
The full statement reads:
“The Indian authorities recently resorted to undisguised repression of Muslims in the Asian country. Female Muslim students are denied their Allah-given fundamental human right to wear hijab. Muslims are killed indiscriminately while their homes are demolished for no just cause.
“Evidence abounds of the maltreatment of Muslims in India.
“The failure of India’s ruling party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP,) to sack its spokesperson, Nupur Sharma, who blasphemed against Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) confirms the complicity of the Indian government. We demand that Nupur Sharma should be sacked. Her mere suspension is sheer window dressing and the height of hypocrisy.
“We call on the Federal Government of Nigeria to set the machinery in motion for holding India accountable. We demand that the Indian ambassador to Nigeria be summoned for a tough reprimand. India must be made to realise that its cruelty to Muslims within its boarders is impacting negatively on Nigerian Muslims. Above all, it is generating internal tension.
“We are deeply disturbed by the silence of Western countries over these inhuman treatments. The international community cannot stand akimbo while these heinous atrocities are being committed in India. We therefore call on the United Nations (UN) to stand up in solidarity with Indian Muslims. The Indian government must be held accountable for serially infringing on the civic liberties of its Muslim population. The UN’s efforts to establish peace in the world will be in vain if there is no justice around the world.
“We affirm that Nigerian Muslims share the same umbilical cord with other Muslims around the world, including Indian Muslims. Those who are currently being persecuted by the Indian government are our brothers and sisters because the Glorious Qur’an makes it clear that the Ummah is one, ‘Verily this Ummah of yours is one nation’ (Qur’an 21:92).
“We stand in solidarity with Indian Muslims. We feel their pain in all parts of our anatomy. We call on Imams all over the world to pray for Indian Muslims. We charge Nigerian Muslims to boycott all Indian products, including their films. In particular, we urge all true Muslims to stop their subscriptions to all Indian stations on the cable networks, including, but not limited to, Zee World and B4U Movies until the government stops persecuting Muslims and admits that Muslim Rights are human rights.
“We commend Muslim countries who have placed sanctions on India and its products. We call on Muslims and all men of conscience to embark on peaceful demonstrations in all parts of the world.
“On our own part in Nigeria, we hereby give notice to the Indian Embassy in Abuja to expect our protest letter as well as our peaceful demonstration. We implore the Nigerian Police to provide adequate protection for our members during the demonstration whose date will soon be announced. India cannot dehumanise our Muslim brothers and sisters without hearing from us.”
