India’s Permanent Representative P Harish has told Islamabad that ranting about Kashmir in international forums will not justify cross-border terrorism or change the reality of the region being an integral part of India. He was reacting on Friday to Pakistan’s former Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua bringing up Kashmir during an informal meeting of the UN General Assembly to commemorate the International Day to Combat Islamophobia. 

“As is their habit, former Foreign Secretary of Pakistan today has made an unjustified reference to the Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir”, Harish said. “Frequent references will neither validate their claim, nor justify their practice of cross-border terrorism”. 

“The fanatical mindset of this nation is well known, as also its record of bigotry”, he said of Pakistan. “Such efforts will not change the reality that Jammu and Kashmir was, is and will always be an integral part of India”, he declared. 

Pakistan’s has been a voice in the wilderness at the UN when it comes to Kashmir.  While it raises Kashmir at almost any chance its representatives get a chance to speak, no other country has taken up the cause. 

Janjua, who was Pakistan’s foreign secretary from 2017 to 2019, spoke as one of the invitees to the meeting and not as a representative of Islamabad. She tried to link Kashmir to Gaza – a tactic of Pakistan – and asserted, “Islamophobia is a significant driver of the horrific killing killings

of Muslims in occupied territories, such as in Indian occupied Kashmir, and in Palestine.” 

She also obliquely mentioned “lynchings” linked to “love jihad” and “cow vigilantes”, referring to reported attacks on Muslims in many parts of India.

Fight against bigotry

Meanwhile, India has called for a more inclusive fight against bigotry that takes on religiophobia, targeting hatred of all religions. 

Expressing concern over violence against places of worship and religions, India’s Permanent Representative Harish said at the same event: “We strongly believe that the path to meaningful progress [in fighting bigotry] lies in acknowledging that religiophobia in its various forms threatens the fabric of our diverse, global society”. 

It is “imperative to recognize that religious discrimination is a broader challenge that affects followers of all faiths”, he said  

“As we observe this day, let us remember that the fight against Islamophobia is inseparable from the broader struggle against religious discrimination in all its forms”, he said. 

In keeping with the day’s theme, Harish also said, “We stand united with the UN membership in condemning incidents of religious intolerance against Muslims”.  “With over 200 million of its citizens practicing Islam, India is home to one of the largest Muslim populations in the world”, he asserted. 

Virtually every major faith has a home in India, which is the birthplace of four world religions, Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism. Harish said. 

“Fostering a world free from religious discrimination, hatred and violence has been a way of life for India since time immemorial”, he said. 

This historic tradition was behind India signing on to the more expansive “Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief” adopted by the General Assembly in 1981. 

Emphasising the need for inclusivity in combating bigotry by making it a campaign for the defence of all religions, he said, “In an increasingly fractured world, the United Nations is envisaged as an entity that rises above differences”. 

In keeping with its core agenda of promoting peace and security, growth and development, “any deliberation on issues of faith must seek to unite, not divide”, he added. 

Focus only on Abrahamic religions

Harish warned about the "disturbing rise in violence targeting places of worship and religious communities” and said, “All countries must commit to equal treatment of all their citizens and not practice policies that promote religious discrimination”.  

“We must also ensure that the education system does not perpetuate stereotypes or encourage bigotry”, he said. 

The UN and its officials focus their campaigns against religious bigotry on only the three religions that claim their lineage to the Jewish patriarch Abraham – Judaism, Christianity, and Islam - that takes centre-stage. India in the past has directly raised the exclusion of Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Jainism. 

Even Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has mentioned specifically only the attacks on the three Abrahamic religions. 

Guterres, who is in Bangladesh for an iftar with Rohingya refugees, said in a message, “As Muslims around the world come together to mark the holy month of Ramadan, many do so in fear – fear of discrimination, exclusion, and even violence”.  

But, he added without naming other religions, “This is part of a wider scourge of intolerance, extremist ideologies, and attacks against religious groups and vulnerable populations”.  

“When one group is attacked, the rights and freedoms of all are at risk”, he said. 

Danger from Muslim extremism

UN General Assembly President Philomen Yang drew attention to the danger to Islam that comes from Muslim extremists and inflames Islamophobia. 

“Extremists are weaponising Islam, spreading fear and hatred to achieve their malicious aims”, he said. “This has dangerous impacts for the vast majority of Muslims and other peaceful worshipers”. 

 “We cannot accept the misuse of Islam for malicious intentions”, he said. 

 “Nor can we allow Islamophobia to incite unjustified hatred and violent attacks against an entire community”, he added. 

Yang also said, “Today, we see a disturbing rise in discrimination and violence, not only against Muslims but many religious communities around the world”. 

(The writer is a UN-based journalist and commentator. He can be reached at arulouis@yahoo.com and tweets @arulouis)