India chose not to vote on a UN General Assembly draft resolution presented by Pakistan and co-sponsored by China on Islamophobia. India emphasized the need to recognize “religiophobia” against Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and other faiths that experience violence and discrimination, instead of focusing solely on one religion. The resolution ‘Measures to combat Islamophobia’ was approved by the 193-member General Assembly, with 115 nations in favor, none against, and 44 abstentions, including India, Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, Ukraine, and the UK.
Islamophobia
Islamophobia is a complex issue that encompasses fear, hatred, or prejudice against the religion of Islam or Muslims as a whole. It often arises from misconceptions, stereotypes, and negative portrayals in media and society. The term Islamophobia is a topic of ongoing debate due to its broad scope and the varying interpretations of what constitutes Islamophobic behavior. One significant impact of Islamophobia is its contribution to discrimination and marginalization of Muslim individuals and communities.
What is Islamophobia?
This can lead to social exclusion, verbal abuse, physical attacks, and even systemic injustices in areas such as employment and education. Addressing Islamophobia requires education, dialogue, and promoting intercultural understanding to foster tolerance and respect for diversity. Efforts to combat Islamophobia also involve challenging biased narratives, promoting accurate information about Islam and Muslims, and advocating for inclusive policies that protect the rights of all individuals regardless of their religious beliefs. By fostering an environment of mutual respect and acceptance, we can work towards building a more inclusive society free from discrimination based on religion.
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Modern manifestations of religiophobia
India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj, expressed strong disapproval of actions driven by anti-Semitism, Christianophobia, and Islamophobia while emphasizing the importance of recognizing that these phobias are not limited to Abrahamic religions. “Extensive proof indicates that adherents of non-Abrahamic faiths have also experienced religiophobia over many years. This has resulted in the emergence of modern manifestations of religiophobia, specifically anti-Hindu, anti-Buddhist, and anti-Sikh sentiments,” she explained India’s stance on the resolution.
What pattern is that results in numerous resolutions?
India stressed that endorsing the resolution should not establish a pattern that results in numerous resolutions concentrating on fears linked to specific religions, which could potentially create a rift within the United Nations. Kamboj underscored the significance of the UN staying impartial on religious topics to avoid division and encourage solidarity in the quest for peace and unity as a global community. India called on all member states to tackle the pervasive problem of religious discrimination on a global scale.
She emphasized the importance of recognizing that Hinduism, Buddhism, and Sikhism, with their significant number of followers worldwide, also face discrimination and violence, in addition to Islamophobia. Focusing solely on combating Islamophobia without addressing similar challenges experienced by other faiths could unintentionally contribute to feelings of exclusion and inequality.
Kamboj Emphasize
Kamboj emphasized the need to recognize the existence of religiophobia in various forms, pointing out the increasing attacks on religious sites and the propagation of animosity towards non-Abrahamic faiths in different parts of the world. The destruction of the Bamiyan Buddhas, desecration of gurudwaras, violence against Sikh pilgrims, and other such incidents were cited as examples contributing to the contemporary rise of religiophobia. The demolition of the Bamiyan Buddha statues by the Taliban in 2001 drew widespread international criticism.
Summary
Kamboj emphasized that India opposes all types of religiophobia, including antisemitism, Christianophobia, and Islamophobia, stating that they also stand against any sentiments that are anti-Hindu, anti-Buddhist, or anti-Sikh. The resolution denounced the encouragement of discrimination, hostility, or violence towards Muslims, as evidenced by the rise in incidents such as desecration of their sacred text, assaults on mosques and religious sites, as well as other forms of religious intolerance, stereotyping, hatred, and violence directed at Muslims.
