2003: Indian Muslim Statements, The Milli Gazette

2003: Indian Muslim Statements
For Latest Indian Muslim Statements click here
Archive of Indian Muslim Statements click here

INDIAN MUSLIM COUNCIL - USA

Indian Muslim Council-USA condemns ethnic cleansing of Muslims in Rajasthan villages by Bajrang Dal

Sept. 29, 2003. Chicago, IL.: Indian Muslim Council-USA strongly condemns the subversive and terrorist activities of hindu nationalist organizations Bajrang Dal and World Hindu Council (known as VHP in India) in the Indian State of Rajasthan.

On September 25th Bajrang Dal activists, blasted a mosque in Iklera, Rajasthan forcing muslims to flee Iklera. Bajrang Dal and the VHP had been active in the area after Gujarat carnage. According to press reports, the past 10 days have seen armed Bajrang Dal and VHP activists on the rampage, driving out about 25 Muslim families from their homes, ransacking their houses and setting them on fire. The village of Mishroli now has a welcome sign on a bright saffron board displaying the "Ideal Hindu Village".

Expressing concern over the recent incidents, Mr. Rasheed Ahmed, vice president of IMC-USA said "Incidents in Iklera very much reflect the threats made after the Gujarat carnage that "Gujarat experiment will be repeated" in a smaller scale and also demostrates a dangerous trend that is undermining the pluralistic and tolerant ethos of Indian Society. We urge the government of Rajasthan to bring the culprits to justice and take full measures to ensure the safety and protection of basic human rights of all citizens."

Another IMC-USA volunteer said "These type of terror tactics by VHP and Bajrang Dal have been increasingly reported across the country, which are a threat to the very values of freedom, justice and equality that the country has been founded upon"

International groups like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have accused India’s Hindu nationalist government of failing to curb violence by Hindu hard-line groups against Indian minorities. These same groups were responsible for the murder of Christian missionary Graham Staines, lynching of Dalits and Gujarat genocide in 2002, which saw the ethnic cleansing of Muslims and the glaring state collusion in the carnage.

INDIAN MUSLIM COUNCIL - USA
Contact: Rasheed Ahmed (708) 466-0244 media@imc-usa.org
265 Sunrise Highway 1-355, Rockville Centre, NY 11570, USA, Tel: ++1-516-567-0783
Email: info@imc-usa.org ; http://www.imc-usa.org q

_________________________________________________________