OIC Istanbul Summit 2016

13^th OIC Summit in Istanbul Turkey:

Unity and Solidarity for Justice and Peace

Dr. Mozammel Haque

Introduction

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hosted more than 30 heads of state and government as well as top officials from 57-member countries of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) for the two-day Summit in Istanbul, Turkey from 14-15 April, 2016. The theme of the Conference was “Unity and Solidarity for Justice and Peace.” The 13^th Islamic Summit aimed at overcoming differences in the Muslim world.

Prominent guests at the meeting included Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani.

The two-day summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation OIC) got underway on Thursday, 14 April 2016 with a speech by Erdogan from the Summit venue in Istanbul, the former capital of the Ottoman Empire from where the Ottoman sultans for centuries ruled Muslims from the Balkans to Arabia.

Turkey has said it wants to use the meeting to narrow differences between the world's estimated 1.7 billion Muslims. However, the gathering risks being overshadowed by disputes on issues ranging from Syria to Yemen.

While the summit marks one of the most significant gatherings of heads of state for years in Istanbul, some prominent leaders such as Jordan's King Abdullah and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi was notable by their absence.

[Acknowledgement] This write-up is prepared from the sources: OIC website, press agencies, Saudi Gazette, Arab News and Al-Jazeera English website.

Background information of the OIC

The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) (formerly Organization of the Islamic Conference) is the second largest inter-governmental organization after the United Nations which has membership of 57 states spread over four continents. The Organization is the collective voice of the Muslim world and ensuring to safeguard and protect the interests of the Muslim world in the spirit of promoting international peace and harmony among various people of the world. The Organization was established upon a decision of the historical summit which took place in Rabat, Kingdom of Morocco on 12th Rajab 1389 Hijra (25 September 1969) as a result of criminal arson of Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem.

In 1970 the first ever meeting of Islamic Conference of Foreign Minister (ICFM) was held in Jeddah which decided to establish a permanent secretariat in Jeddah headed by the organization’s secretary general. Mr. Iyad Ameen Madani is the 10th Secretary General who assumed the office in January 2014.

BOX

Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC)

(Formerly Organisation of the Islamic Conference)

Founded on 25 September 1969 &

Holds international Summit every three year

Member – 57 Islamic Countries

Representing 1.5 billion Muslims worldwide

Head Quarter – Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Present Secretary General – Mr. Iyad Madani

OIC protecting and defending true image of Islam

OIC promoting trade & economic ties between member countries

OIC calls itself collective voice of Muslim world

Israeli-Palestine conflict is high on the agenda at this OIC Summit

OIC Summit is meant to address rising threats of Islamophobia & Sectarianism

The present Charter of the Organization was adopted by the Eleventh Islamic Summit held in Dakar on 13-14 March 2008 which laid down the objectives and principles of the organization and fundamental purposes to strengthen the solidarity and cooperation among the Member States. Over the last 40 years, the membership has grown from its founding members of 25 to 57 states. The Organization has the singular honour to galvanize the Ummah into a unified body and have actively represented the Muslims by espousing all causes close to the hearts of over 1.5 billion Muslims of the world. The Organization has consultative and cooperative relations with the UN and other inter-governmental organizations to protect the vital interests of the Muslims and to work for the settlement of conflicts and disputes involving Member States. In safeguarding the true values of Islam and the Muslims, the organization has taken various steps to remove misperceptions and have strongly advocated elimination of discrimination against the Muslims in all forms and manifestations.

The Member States of the OIC face many challenges in the 21st century and to address those challenges, the third extraordinary session of the Islamic Summit held in Makkah in December 2005, laid down the blue print called the Ten-Year Program of Action which envisages joint action of Member States, promotion of tolerance and moderation, modernization, extensive reforms in all spheres of activities including science and technology, education, trade enhancement, and emphasizes good governance and promotion of human rights in the Muslim world, especially with regard to rights of children, women and elderly and the family values enshrined by Islam.

On the back drops of the Summit

This Summit took place in Istanbul in the back drops of ISIL, Daesh terrorism, Syrian conflict sending hundreds of thousands of refugees to the unwelcoming European borders.  Turkish Foreign Minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, said the summit was being held at a time when "the Islamic world is experiencing many disputes within itself.

"Fratricidal conflict causes great pain. Sectarianism divides the Ummah," he told OIC foreign ministers on Tuesday, using the Arabic world for the Muslim community. Still he was optimistic and said, "Hopefully, this summit will pave the way for healing some wounds."

Issues discussed

The issues included the question of Palestine and the Arab-Israeli conflict, conflict situations in the Muslim world and migration, situation of Muslim communities in non-OIC member states, combating terrorism and violent extremism, Islamophobia, and the humanitarian situation in the Muslim world.

Twelve issues were tabled for discussion by leaders of the Muslim world at the meeting started Thursday (14 April 2016). There was also discussion on the OIC Program of Action: 2016-2025, advancing scientific cooperation among member states in the areas of health, higher education and environment, advancing cultural, social and information cooperation in the Muslim world, poverty eradication and development of infrastructure in the OIC member states, legal and statutory issues, and empowering OIC to deliver on its mandate.

Opening Speech of Turkish President

Recep Tayyip Erdogan

Fight Sectarianism

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday, the 14^th of April, 2016 urged Muslim leaders gathered for the OIC summit to end sectarian divisions in the Islamic world and join forces to fight terror. “I believe the greatest challenge we need to surmount is sectarianism. My religion is not that of Sunnis, of Shiites. My religion is Islam,” Erdogan said in his opening speech.

“We should be uniting. Out of the conflicts, the tyranny, only the Muslims suffer,” he said, adding the summit meeting could be a “turning point” for the whole Islamic world.

Re-structuring of the UN Security Council

He also called for the re-structuring of the UN Security Council, so that the Muslim world has an effective voice. Erdogan lashed out at Daesh and Boko Haram extremists in Nigeria as two “terrorist organizations that are serving the same evil purpose.”

Multinational Police Coordination centre

He said that the OIC had accepted a Turkish proposal to set up a Multinational Police Coordination Centre for Islamic states to fight militants, to be based in Istanbul. “We need to establish an organization to further strengthen cooperation in the fight against terror,” he said.

Unify the Muslim world

Several leaders have expressed their commitment to unify the Muslim world in the face of severe political, economic and social challenges.

Palestinian question,

In his speech, read out by Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Soukry, President Abdul Fattah El-Sisi said that as the chair of the previous summit, Egypt had done everything it could to advance the cause of Muslims across the globe. This would continue under Turkey, as the new chair, particularly with regard to action on the Palestinian question, which should be resolved with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital. He commended the OIC for holding a summit on Palestine in Indonesia in March.

Erdogan agreed with El-Sisi’s call for action on Palestine, and also endorsed the call for unity among Muslim nations to tackle the problems of vulnerable communities. He said Turkey was doing everything it can to help refugees, and had already saved around 100,000 from drowning in the Aegean Sea.

Surmount Sectarianism

In his opening speech, Turkish President Erdogan said, “I believe the greatest challenge we need to surmount is sectarianism. My religion is not that of Sunnis, of Shiites. My religion is Islam.”

“We should be uniting. Out of the conflicts, the tyranny, only the Muslims suffer,” he said, adding the summit meeting could be a “turning point” for the whole Islamic world.

Condemn daesh

Erdogan lashed out at the Daesh (the so-called IS) militants who seized swathes of Syria and Boko Haram extremists in Nigeria as two “terrorist organizations that are serving the same evil purpose.”

Opening Speech of King Salman bin Abdulaziz

Addressing the opening session of the 13th Islamic Summit Conference of Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in the Turkish city of Istanbul on Thursday, the CUSTODIAN of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman called for adopting a strong position against attempts by some vested interests in blatantly interfering in the internal affairs of some member countries and thereby inciting sectarian strife and divisions.

“The present day realities make it incumbent on us to stand united more than ever to fight the scourge of terrorism as well as to protect the younger generation from its fierce attack. Terrorism targets the youths to get out of the path of their righteous religion and be driven by those who are creating turmoil using the name of our religion, which has nothing to do with them,” he said.

King Salman referred to the major initiative taken recently by the Kingdom in combating terror. “We have made a serious step in this direction through forming an Islamic military alliance, consisting of 39 countries, in order to coordinate all efforts through intellectual, media, financial and military initiatives based on the OIC’s principles and objectives.”

King Salman said by interfering in the internal affairs of others, some vested quarters were instrumental in further aggravating the sectarian division within the Ummah. “The Muslim world is reeling under conflicts and crises that are represented by the blatant interference in the affairs of a number of Islamic countries apart from sowing seeds of discord and division, and inciting sectarian strife. Armed militias are being used to destabilize our security and stability so as to spread their influence and domination,” the King said and called for a strong position to prevent such interference and maintain the security and safety of the Muslim world.

Solution to Palestinian issue

King Salman also called for finding solutions to the burning issues facing the Muslim world. “Finding a just solution to the Palestinian issue in accordance with the Arab peace initiative and international legitimacy resolutions is in the forefront of these issues,” he said.

End to Syrian crisis

“Putting an end to the Syrian crisis in accordance with the decisions of Geneva 1 and Security Council resolution 2254, as well as to support the existing efforts to end the Libyan crisis are other top issues. On the Yemeni issue, we support the UN efforts for the success of consultations to be held in Kuwait in implementation of Security Council resolution 2216,” the King said hoping that the summit would come out with decisions that would further bolster solidarity and achieve more collaboration for the betterment of the Muslim Ummah.

OIC Secretary General Iyad Madani

In his keynote address, OIC Secretary General Iyad Madani said the pan-Islamic body has put the fight against terrorism as it main priority but at the same time he noted that only 21 member states have so far ratified the OIC agreement in this regard.

He urged all Palestinian factions to resolve their differences in order to form a consensus government. He announced that the OIC is working with Iraq to hold the 2nd Makkah Conference to achieve reconciliation in that country.

Madani appealed to the development of humanitarian work in the organization, and announced that the 14th session of the Islamic Summit will be held in Gambia in 2018.

Iyad Madani, secretary general of the 57-member Islamic bloc, said the summit took over 200 decisions. The conference expressed concern over the rising tide of xenophobia, Islamophobia and anti-Muslim racism in Western countries, and called on Western states to take necessary measures to combat these and to ensure the safety and well-being of Muslims there.

Condemning Israel’s continued occupation of the Palestinian territories and its increasing atrocities, the summit confirmed full solidarity with the Palestinian people in their struggle to free themselves from the 49-year-long occupation and called on the global community to support efforts to empower the state of Palestine by all means.

The Summit proceedings concluded on Friday, the 15^th of April 2016 with the adoption of a resolution on Palestine, the OIC Ten-Year Program of Action for 2015-2025, the final communiqué, and the Istanbul Declaration.

Final Closing Session

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who chaired the final session of the OIC summit, lamented the fact that Muslim countries who are “the heirs of a civilization that was built on columns of peace and justice are being remembered more for wars, armed conflict, sectarianism and terrorism.”

Chairing the final session of the summit, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that sectarianism, racism and terrorism are the three largest challenges confronting the Muslim world. “As Muslims, we cannot overcome our difficulties without achieving unity in spite of our differences.” The Turkish leader said establishing an international arbitration body in Istanbul was part of the OIC 2025 Action Plan, endorsed by the summit.

Erdogan also welcomed a decision reached a day earlier to create a Turkey-based police coordination centre aimed at increasing cooperation against terrorism.

Final Communique of The OIC Summit

Muslim leaders of the 57-member organization OIC discussed at the OIC Istanbul Summit a range of issues such as the humanitarian fallout from Syria’s civil war and passed their final resolutions.

Deplored Iran’s interference

The OIC said in its final summit communiqué, “The conference deplored Iran’s interference in the internal affairs of the states of the region and other member states including Bahrain, Yemen, Syria, and Somalia, and its continued support for terrorism,”. It “deplored Iran’s interference” and “continued support for terrorism” not only in Syria but also Bahrain, Yemen and Somalia.

Condemned Daesh

The Communique also expressed strong condemnation of the Daesh group and the role of Iran and its proxies in regional conflicts. The conference pledged to combat terrorism in all its forms and condemned Daesh for its use of chemical weapons in Iraq.

The final declaration expressed hope that negotiations that started in Geneva on April 13 would contribute to resolving “the Syrian crisis as soon as possible.”

Bilateral Cooperation Council

At the sidelines of the summit, Turkey and Saudi Arabia signed a memorandum to create a bilateral cooperation council.

Jeddah-based English daily Arab News summarises the OIC Summit’s final communiqués which denounces Tehran’s plots as follows:

• Islamic Summit Conference supports Islamic Military Alliance for Combating Terrorism
• OIC rejects Iran’s inflammatory statements on execution of judicial decisions in Saudi Arabia

• Muslim leaders denounce aggression against Saudi missions in Tehran, Mashhad

• OIC communique deplores Iran’s continued support for terrorism

• Summit deplores Iran’s interference in internal affairs of Bahrain, Yemen, Syria and Somalia
• Leaders rap Hezbollah for terrorist activities in Syria, Bahrain, Kuwait, Yemen

• Hezbollah under fire for supporting terrorist activities that undermine security of OIC states

• Leaders stress need to preserve Syria’s unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity

• Summit reaffirms its principled support for rights of Palestinians

• Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and Turkey commended for generously hosting Syrian refugees
• Member states & international community urged to support Syrian refugees

• Daesh condemned for using chemical weapons against the civilians

• Summit reiterates continued support for legitimate Yemeni government of President Hadi
• OIC reaffirms support for people of Kashmir and calls on India to implement UN resolutions
• Conference reiterates its principled position against terrorism in all its forms

Istanbul Summit Final Declaration

A pan-Islamic summit, bringing together leaders from across the Islamic world, concluded in the Turkish city of Istanbul on Friday, the 15^th of April, 2016 with a pledge to combat terrorism, cast aside sectarian differences and address regional conflicts. Followings are part of the final declaration of the Istanbul Summit published in Saudi Gazette.

Deploring its interference

The 13th Summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) harshly criticized Iran, deploring its interference in the internal affairs of regional states and other member countries including Bahrain, Yemen, Syria, and Somalia, and its continued support for terrorism, according to the final communiqué issued at the end of the two-day summit.

Condemned Hezbollah

The conference condemned Hezbollah for its role in terrorist activities in Syria, Bahrain, Kuwait, Yemen, and for supporting terrorist movements undermining security of OIC states.

Defend human dignity

The leaders emphasized their shared commitment to defend human dignity by working toward alleviating poverty, addressing social injustices and creating equal opportunities for Muslim minorities.

Interaction with other religions and cultures

The summit recognized the need for the Islamic world to enhance its outreach and interaction with other religions and cultures through constructive dialogue, mutual understanding and moderation.

Condemned terrorism and sectarianism

The OIC condemned terrorism and sectarianism in all their forms and manifestations regardless of motive and wherever and by whomever committed, and call for equal determination toward all terrorist organizations. It renewed unwavering commitment to strengthening cooperation between the OIC and other international organizations to prevent and combat the scourge of terror.

Rejected all attempts to affiliate terrorism

The conference rejected all attempts to affiliate terrorism with any nationality, civilization, religion or ethnic group, and refuse provision of any direct or indirect support to the groups that call for violence, extremism and terrorism.

Fostering tolerance, respect, dialogue

The summit also emphasized the importance of fostering tolerance, respect, dialogue and cooperation among different cultures, civilizations and peoples, besides reiterating that intercultural dialogue, mutual respect and finding common grounds for solidarity are the only means to build peaceful, prosperous and socially cohesive communities.

Solidarity with Muslim minorities

The summit expressed solidarity with Muslim minorities in many non-OIC member states who still face serious oppression and whose rights are disregarded in many cases.

Enhancing the role of Muslim youth

The conference encouraged efforts aimed at strengthening and enhancing the role of Muslim youth in society, and improving the conditions for their education and employment.

Contribution of Muslim women

The conference underlined the importance of the contribution of Muslim women to social life as well as of strengthening the role of women in development of Islamic countries.

Increase intra-OIC trade to 25 percent

The Muslim leaders reaffirmed their resolve to increase intra-OIC trade to 25 percent in the coming ten years. They also welcomed the adoption of the “OIC-2025: Program of Action,” setting ambitious targets in various fields for the member states to achieve over the next ten years.

The leaders also vowed their commitment to continue efforts aimed at increasing the effectiveness of the OIC in making justice and peace prevail all around the world. — With input from Agencies

Summit Resolution on Sustainable Development

Jeddah-based English daily Saudi Gazette summarises the OIC Summit’s final communiqués on Sustainable Development as follows:

The 13th Summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), which concluded in the Turkish city of Istanbul on Friday (15 April 2016), underscored its keenness and unveiled its program of action aimed at achieving sustainable development of member states in all spheres of life.

Affordable and clean energy

In the final communiqué, issued at the end of the conference, over 50 heads of state and top officials from across the Islamic world have emphasized that access to affordable and clean energy is crucial for achieving sustainable development for the member states. They also acknowledged the importance of integrated water resources management, through conservation, prudent use, and bringing down of wastage to the minimum.

Adoption of the ‘2030 Sustainable Development Agenda,

The summit welcomed the adoption of the ‘2030 Sustainable Development Agenda,’ which has 17 goals and 169 targets. The conference vowed its commitment to their successful implementation within the stipulated time frame, taking into consideration the role of national authorities in cooperation with international bodies.

Sustainable development finds a key place in the OIC Program of Action for the next decade (2016-2025). The summit called upon the member states, the OIC organs and institutions, international partners as well as other stakeholders to undertake all necessary measures for its effective implementation.

Ten-year Program of Action (2006-2015)

The conference noted with satisfaction the successful conclusion of the Ten-year Program of Action (2006-2015), which provided the Islamic Ummah with a forward looking blueprint with a view to enhance Joint Islamic Action in various domains.

Enhance well being

The OIC reiterated its commitment to work together for a better tomorrow and enhance the well being of around 1.7 billion peoples in the 57 member states. It also affirmed commitment to address the shortcomings in the previous decade and to introduce the necessary improvements for the effective implementation of the new program of action.

Culture must be used as leverage for a sustainable development

The summit emphasized that culture must be used as leverage for a sustainable and inclusive development, along with Islamic values, the most significant aspect of which is to mainstream culture as a strategic tool for achieving OIC goals.

Childcare and well being

The conference entrusted the OIC General Secretariat with the task of developing a strategy for the OIC in the field of childcare and well being in the Muslim world, which takes into account, among other things, the health, psychological and educational conditions of children and mothers in areas of conflict, and the issue of child marriage and violence against children. It reaffirmed that preserving the wellbeing and physical health of children is a duty of every parent and society as prescribed by Islam.

The conference welcomed the significant improvement in health care coverage and services in the member states leading to declining trends in child mortality rates from a higher base rate of 125 deaths per 1,000 births in 1990 to 66 deaths per 1,000 births by 2013.

Media, including the social media

The OIC gathering stressed that the media, including the social media, is the most effective tool for spreading information and shaping public opinion. The summit recognized the decisive role it can assume in projecting the bright image of Islam as well as that of the member states to the outside world and achieving the objectives of Islamic solidarity. The conference also called for investment in the development of media infrastructure, improving the professional capacities of media workers, facilitating easy access by the public to information, enhancing OIC media institutions and deepening coordination among them to advance Joint Islamic Action in all fields.

Developing knowledge-based society

The Istanbul meet acknowledged the need for developing knowledge-based society through supporting research and technology for the overall development of the member states. For that purpose, it encouraged expansion and intensification of research and development activities in the institutions and centres of excellence including those in the OIC subsidiary and affiliated ones.

OIC Secretary General felicitated

Muslim leaders acclaimed OIC Secretary General Iyad Madani. “The Muslim leaders commended the efforts of the OIC Secretary General Iyad Madani for his initiatives aimed at promoting and defending unified position on issues of common concern, including the dialogue among civilizations and religions; promoting interfaith harmony, tolerance and non-discrimination; and safeguarding historic and Islamic character of the holy places as well as Islamic heritage.”

This write-up is prepared from the sources: OIC resources, press agencies, Saudi Gazette, Arab News and Al-Jazeera English website.

The Muslim News Award for Excellence 2016 Recognises the very best of British Muslim Achievement

The Muslim News Awards for Excellence 2016 ceremony recognises the very best of British Muslim Achievement

Dr. Mozammel Haque

Over 500 people celebrated the 14th of The Muslim News Awards for Excellence event – Britain’s longest standing Muslim awards event – on Wednesday, 20^th of April 2016 at Marriot Hotel London. The coveted award ceremony recognised the very best of Muslim and non-Muslim contributions to British society.

Ayaz Bhuta, one of the world’s best wheelchair rugby players and paralympic athlete and European Bronze Medal winner, won the Sport award. Good Citizenship award went to Professor Javed Khan, Chief Executive of Barnardo’s, the UK’s oldest and largest children’s charity.

Guest of Honour

Communities Secretary, Greg Clark, MP

Guest of Honour at the event, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, the Rt Hon Greg Clark, MP, said: “Tonight’s awards typify not only Muslim communities at their best, but Britain at its best.”

He mentioned, “British Muslims have made significant contributions to our country, and all the winners and nominees have offered a helping hand for others, through their charitable and community-based work.”

“The Muslim News awards demonstrate how successful British Muslims are working hard to make Britain even greater, and I offer all the winners and nominees my best wishes,” said Communities Secretary, Greg Clark, MP.

Special guests included Kate Green MP, Shadow Minister for Women and Equalities, Angus Robertson MP, SNP Westminster Leader, Baroness Manzoor, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Work and Pensions and Sadiq Khan MP, Labour candidate for Mayor of London. Also present was Dianne Abbott MP, Shadow Secretary of State for International Development.

They were joined by civic and religious leaders, as well as representatives from the worlds of politics, business, sport and the arts, to honour unsung heroes and heroines of the community.

Messages of support to the event

from all party leaders

Prime Minister, David Cameron, MP, who has attended the event in the past, said: “In this, their 14th year, The Muslim News Awards for Excellence once again highlight an outstanding group of people. Those recognised today represent the United Kingdom at its very best and I would like to offer my personal congratulations to all of the winners and nominees.”

Opposition Leader, Jeremy Corbyn, MP, said: “This awards ceremony is an important opportunity to recognise the huge contribution that Muslims across Britain make to our country every day, showcasing the talent and excellence of individuals in their fields of expertise. From business and technology, to the arts, and sport, it is fantastic to celebrate the achievements and hard work of Muslims from all walks of life.”

SNP Westminster Leader, Angus Robertson, MP, said: “For 14 years the Muslim News Awards for Excellence has paid tribute to the brightest and best, and year after year it has showcased role models who lead by example for younger generations.”

“The Muslim News plays an important role in the Muslim community, both giving voice to the community as a whole and giving expression to the diverse range of views within it,” he mentioned.

Angus Robertson, MP, also said: “I am pleased to see the Awards going from strength to strength. They are an effective way to recognise not only excellence in business, sports, arts, and technology, but also to publicly praise those who have served both the Muslim and the wider communities.”

Ahmed J Versi, Editor of The Muslim News said in his welcoming speech: “I would like to thank all our readers who took the time to nominate men, women and children whose endeavours and activities mark them out for recognition of excellence.

Mr. Versi mentioned, “As in previous years, we have been humbled by the quality and quantity of entries for each award category.”

“At these awards too we identify not only those British Muslims who have excelled in their fields and contributed to the society, but also those who are not Muslims who have stood up to defend Muslims,” Mr. Versi said.

The Muslim News Awards for Excellence took place on Wednesday 20 April at the Marriott Hotel London.

Welcome speech by Ahmed J Versi,

Editor and Publisher of The Muslim News

at the 14th ‘The Muslim News Awards for Excellence’

Ahmed Versi, the Editor and Publisher of The Muslim News welcomed all those who have been nominated for the awards this evening. He also expressed thank to all the readers who took the time to nominate men, women and children whose endeavours and activities mark them out for recognition of excellence.

In this connection, Versi particularly pointed out, “Since our last The Muslim News Awards, two issues have heavily impacted on the Muslim community – “new counter terrorism measures and huge increase in Islamophobia and Islamophobic attacks.”

He said, “These are indicative of a growing climate of fear against Muslims. Yet, despite all the challenges, Muslims have continued to put their best foot forward, as exemplified by the deluge of nominations we have received, celebrating the contributions Muslims have made to the British society. It makes me proud to be a British Muslim.”

Aims of the Award

Speaking about the aims of the Award, Versi mentioned, “We had two aims when these Awards were first conceived. The first was to find much-needed role models, especially for young people. The second aim was more ambitious: to provide a counter-narrative for the day-to-day drip-feed of negative and often sensationalist news and comment that passes for journalism.”

Role of Media

Speaking about the role of the Media, he said, “The role of the media in this regard should not be overestimated. I have no hesitation in stating that the climate of fear is generated by the press desperate to seek out, and at times manufacture, examples of Muslim misdemeanour. This was most recently exemplified by the appalling way Muslims have been framed as the fearful “other” in the documentary on Channel 4 following the ICM poll on “What British Muslims Really Think”. Whatever Trevor Phillips says, I say that today is the real demonstration of what British Muslims are really all about. The conclusions from this documentary demonstrate to us how it is possible to use media to spread pernicious hatred against Muslims.”

Versi also mentioned, “The sensationalism from both print and broadcast media comes during a climate of international terrorism that Muslims here in the UK have little control over and very little sympathy for, despite media headlines that insist otherwise. The outcome is not only a climate of fear, but also actual violence against Muslims.”

In this connection, Versi mentioned about a special conference organised by The Muslim News last year. He said, “Last year, to mark the 25th anniversary of the newspaper, The Muslim News organised a special conference that brought together leading figures in the media world with Muslim community activists. The landmark conference produced a series of public interest recommendations for the media, the most imperative of which is an urgent need to separate personal journalistic prejudices from the reporting on Islam and Muslims.”

Political leaders empathised with Muslims

Versi mentioned that only two political leaders empathised with Muslims at the height of recent Islamophobic attacks. “One was the much maligned Opposition Leader, Jeremy Corbyn, who joined Muslims at Finsbury Park mosque vigil after it was attacked. The other was Leader of the Scottish National Party and First Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon,” said Versi.

He also mentioned, “Sturgeon observed one minute silence at Glasgow Central Mosque to remember the victims of the terrorist attacks in Paris realising fully well the difficult time Muslims were going through. Importantly, the Government made much needed policy decision on reporting of Islamophobia attacks. Home Secretary, Theresa May, announced that police forces should record anti-Muslim as well as anti-Semitic crimes.”

Versi also said, “Discussions and proposals to promote integration and cohesion are always welcome. But the starting point should not be, that Muslims are the problem, “not quite British enough”, and must be civilised into a notion of Britishness, nor should it be that Muslims are only seen through the prism of extremism and terrorism.

“Instead we need to hold onto our universal values and not let those who wish to divide us, who wish to break us or who wish to impose their muscular liberalism onto us all, to win,” he said.

Multicultural nation with diversity and talent

Speaking about huge diversity and talent, Versi also mentioned, “We are a multicultural nation with huge diversity and talent as we see here tonight. At these awards too we identify not only those British Muslims who have excelled in their fields and contributed to the society, but also those who are not Muslims who have stood up to defend Muslims. Despite the inaction of our leaders and the continuous hostility from sections of our media, these examples tell us that at the grassroots, we can find countless examples where Muslims and non-Muslims come together in solidarity.”

Speaking about the last year annual Big Iftar event, Versi mentioned, “Last year, Communities Secretary, Greg Clark, launched the annual Big Iftar event at the Ismaili Centre in London. This is one of the many initiatives that the Communities Secretary is involved in as his responsibility of community engagement.”

Versi also congratulated all those who are shortlisted for the awards. He wished them all a very enjoyable and inspiring evening. He said, “My heartfelt thanks and appreciation to all the sponsors, including Human Appeal, one of the fastest growing Muslim charity in the UK, which this year, is celebrating its 25th anniversary. My special thanks to Muhammad Amersi, who made this evening possible. I would like to extend my congratulations to the Queen on her 90^th birthday.”

Winners and Presenters of Award for Excellence

This Awards ceremony is about recognising those individuals who aspire to attain their very best as members of the British Muslim society. It is those British Muslims and non-Muslims that have proven themselves worthy of recognition for their contribution to Britain that we are here to honour this evening.

Alhambra Award for Excellence in Arts was awarded to Swadeka Ahsun, International Artist. This Award was presented to her by Kate Green, MP, Shadow Minister for Women and Equalities.

Annemarie Schimmel Award for Championing a Muslim Cause was given to Jonathan Freeman, Managing Director, Mosaic. This Award was presented by Mohamed Amersi, Founder of Inclusive Ventures Group.

Malcolm X Young Person’s Award for Excellence was given to Saif-Abbas Chato, Higher Education Dept Facilitator – Shia Ithna’Asheri Madressa. This Award was presented by Riaz Esmail, Trustee of The Salaam Centre.

Alija Izetbegovic Award for Good Citizenship was given to Harris Bokhari, Founder, Naz Legacy Foundation. This Award was presented by Lt General Gordon Messenger and Sponsored by Armed Forces Muslim Association.

Uthman Dan Fodio Award for Excellence in Community Development was awarded to MADE [Muslim Action for Development & Environment]. The Award was presented by Sayed Lakhte Hassanain, Chairman of Muslim Hands; sponsored by Muslim Hands.

Al Biruni Award for Excellence in Community Relations was awarded to British Muslim Heritage Centre. This Award was presented by Dianne Abbott, MP, Shadow Secretary of State for International Development.

Sankore University Award for Excellence in Education was given to Dr David Browning, Founder Registrar, Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies. This Award was presented by Rt Hon Sadiq Khan MP, Labour Party candidate for the Mayor of London

Fazlur Rahman Khan for Excellence in Engineering, Science and Technology was awarded to Tipu Zahed Aziz, Professor of Neurology, University of Oxford.  This Award was presented by Rt Hon Angus Robertson MP, Scottish National Party Leader in Westminster

Ummul Mu'minin Khadijah Award for Excellence in Enterprise was awarded to Farouq Sheikh, Chair, CareTech Holdings PLC and Tariq Usmani, CEO, Henley Homes plc. This Award was presented by Rt Hon Greg Clark, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government

Ibn Sina Award for Health was awarded to Dr Zafar Iqbal, Head of Sports Medicine , Crystal Palace FC. This Award was presented by Othman Moqbel, Chief Executive of Human Appeal; sponsored by Human Appeal.

Ibn Battuta Award for Excellence in Media was awarded to Assed Baig, Journalist, Channel 4 News. This Award was presented by Imran Madden, UK Director of Islamic Relief; sponsored by Islamic Relief.

Faezeh Hashemi Award for Excellence in Sport was given to Ayaz Bhuta, Athlete, Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby. This Award was presented by Baroness Manzoor, CBE of Knightsbridge.

Imams Hasan and Husayn Children's Award for Excellence was awarded to Bushra Ulfath, student Mulberry Girls School. This Award was presented by Dr Suhaib Hasan, Trustee, Muslim Aid; sponsored by Muslim Aid.

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Freedom of Religion in India - A Debate and Discussion at the House of Lords

Freedom of Religion in India – A Debate

and Discussion at the House of Lords

Dr. Mozammel Haque

There are well-known facts on paper and documents which nobody can deny and question. Similarly, there are facts on the ground the reality suffered by people, the facts people are going through their lives and the facts which are happening everyday, the day-to-day life of the people of India. Both of these facts are there on documents and in people’s life – the question is which one you are going to highlight; which one you are going to place before the public. As a neutral observer of facts, I will not ignore any one of that.

Facts on Documents

Lord Popat (Con):

Let’s see the facts on paper and documents. It is a fact that India is the largest democracy in the world. It is also a fact that the population of India is more than 1.3 billion. It is also a fact that India has a population of 780 languages. “For millennia, India has been home to vast diversities, cultures and traditions. In the rich tapestry of Indian society, we see 780 languages and seven major religions,” said Lord Popat from the Conservative Party at a debate and discussion at the House of Lords, British Parliament recently and . added, “Yet India also has a depressingly long list of incidents in which religious tensions have risen. Today’s debate could realistically have happened at any point in the past few decades and still reached worrying conclusions. While India’s diversity is one of its greatest strengths, it so often leads to moments of weakness. We should not pretend that religious tensions in India have come to the fore only recently, or under the BJP. Some, if not most, of the worst riots, including the Sikh massacre of 1984, which the noble Lord, Lord Singh, mentioned, were committed under the regime of the Congress Party.”

Baroness Berridge (Con):

Similarly, at the same debate and discussion on India: Freedom of Religion at the House of Lords, British Parliament recent, Baroness Berridge from the Conservative Party,  mentioned, “The predominant religion of the Commonwealth is Hinduism, a fact which derives directly from India’s membership. The Commonwealth’s second most widespread religion, Islam, is also well represented in India with 172 million people—the world’s third largest Muslim population. By 2050 India is predicted to have the largest Muslim population in the world. India currently has the world’s largest populations of Sikhs, Jains, and Zoroastrians, as well as substantial numbers of Christians and Buddhists and people of no religion at all. India has more people who are not Hindus—a quarter of a billion—than most countries have people. India’s religious diversity has always been part of its national identity and history.

Lord Sheikh (Con)

In the same discussion and debate at the House of Lords, British Parliamnt, Lord Sheikh from the Conservative Party also pointed some of the facts on the documents. He said, “India is home to 1.3 billion people, who belong to all the major religions of the world. More than 780 languages are spoken there. Additionally, the state cannot impose any tax to promote a religion or to maintain a religious institution.  The Indian constitution ensures that every citizen of India has the freedom to profess, practice and propagate his own religion. Therefore, citizens can follow their own religions and beliefs. We should all remember that India took an active role and was originally instrumental in drafting the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that we are discussing here today.”

“Since 1993, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and Zoroastrians have been noted as minority communities. I stand here as a Muslim of Indian origin. Approximately 15% of the country is Muslim, totalling about 180 million people,” Lord Sheikh mentioned.

Facts on the Ground

These are facts and figures on Papers, on Documents and in the Constitution. The question is about facts on the ground, human rights of the people, and the religious tolerance in India. These we can understand from the day-to-day life of the people. The debate and discussion on “India: Freedom of Religion” at the House of Lords was raised by Lord Indarjit Singh of Wimbledon, a Crossbench (Independent) Life Peer since 2011.

Lord Indarjit Singh of Wimbledon:

Lord Singh highlighted concerns over the plight of minority faiths in India. Narendra Modi, leader of the nationalist BJP, won a landslide victory in the May 2015 Indian election, mainly on ostensibly economic issues, but after his election he has given increasing support to the Hindu extremist agenda of those who helped propel him to power. He refers increasingly to restoring dignity and power to the Hindu community. His own credentials were questioned by many in India and abroad. As Chief Minister of Gujarat in 2002, he failed to stop widespread violence against the Muslim community and for some years was banned from entering the UK or the USA.”

In support of his argument, Lord Singh of Wimbledon mentioned, “Reports from Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, the US Commission on International Religious Freedom and other human rights organisations all tell the same story of forced conversions of Muslims and Christians, with brutal rape and killing and the destruction or seizure of property. This has been paralleled, sadly, by a more general crackdown on the right to free speech.”

Harassment of Muslims and Christians

Lord Singh of Wimbledon

There is an increasing disregard of Article 18 of the UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Lord Singh has given just a few examples to explain the fear now felt, particularly by Christians and Muslims in India. He said, “The highly respected US Commission on International Religious Freedom expressed concern in its 2015 report over the biased application of state anti-discrimination conversion laws, under which Christian preachers have been harassed and arrested, while no action has been taken against those who, by inducement or otherwise, force people to convert to Hinduism. Its report also drew attention to the increasing harassment of Muslims and Christians, particularly those who have converted to Christianity, with physical violence, arson and the desecration of churches and bibles. Although this highly respected US Commission on International Religious Freedom is allowed to function in countries such as Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and China, it is now banned from entering India.”

Muslims targets of Hindu extremists

Lord Singh also mentioned, “Muslims in particular are targets of Hindu extremists and are routinely accused of spying for Pakistan, of being terrorists, of forcibly kidnapping and marrying Hindu women and of slaughtering cows. Muslim villages in remote areas, particularly in Bihar, are routinely attacked. Sadly, the police, as with the mass killing of Sikhs in 1984, are either silent spectators or active participants. Discrimination against religious minorities was prevalent, as Sikhs know too well, under successive Congress Governments. Under the BJP Government of Narendra Modi the increasing attacks on minority faiths have become more blatant and are accompanied by a disturbing silence of those in power. Under Congress, discrimination against Sikhs was direct and brutal. In the run-up to the election that put him in power, Narendra Modi himself pointed out that the Congress Government were responsible for the mass killing of thousands of Sikh men, women.”

Assault on Freedom of Speech

Lord Singh of Wimbledon

Speaking on the growing assault on freedom of speech in India, Lord Singh mentioned, “The growing assault on freedom of speech has alarmed many in India from all walks of life. Recently, a number of prominent Indians honoured for their work in arts, science and business returned their awards as a protest against curbs on free speech.”

“Despite my concerns, I believe that India is a wonderful country that has a lot going for it. It is a country rich in talent with a vast pool of highly educated and qualified people in business, science and the arts. But to achieve its real potential, those in positions of authority should heed the words of India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, who declared that the care of minorities was more than a duty, it was a sacred trust. India has a lofty constitution with grandiose pledges of justice, liberty, equality and fraternity. It is a country that is home to many different faiths, but it cannot fulfil its full potential unless it takes its religious minorities with it. Sadly, there is no sign of this happening. What can, or should, Britain do about the deteriorating attitude to human rights and religious freedom in India?” Lord Singh raised the question.

Religious Freedom, Rights

of women and children

Lord Hussain (LD)

Lord Hussain, Peer from the Liberal Democrat Party was reading the Human Rights Watch Report 2016. He said, “The Human Rights Watch report 2016 states that the Government (of India) did little in 2015 to implement promises by the newly-elected Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, to improve respect for religious freedom, to protect the rights of women and children and to end abuse against marginalised communities. Even as the Prime Minister celebrated Indian democracy abroad, back home civil society groups faced increased harassment and government critics faced intimidation and law suits. Officials warned media against making what they called unsubstantiated allegations against the Government, saying that it weakened democracy. In several cases, courts reprimanded the Government for restricting free expression.”

Lord Hussain also said, “According to the report, religious minorities, especially Muslims and Christians, accused the authorities of not doing enough to protect their rights. Some leaders of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party made inflammatory remarks against minorities, and right-wing Hindu fringe groups threatened and harassed them and in some cases even attacked them. It has been widely reported throughout the past many years that Hindu extremism in India is growing and the human rights and freedoms of Christians, Muslims, Sikhs and Dalits are hugely being victimised through its activities and attacks.”

 “I read two news articles in the past two days relating to India; one of them stated that four Kashmiri Muslim students were attacked and charged for eating beef in Rajasthan. That is the kind of environment that people are having to live in. For eating something they like, they are not only attacked and beaten up but then charged. At the same time, I read that an American watchdog had been refused a visa to look into the freedoms and rights of religious communities in India. That shows the intention of the Indian Government,” Lord Hussain mentioned two articles only to show the kind of environment Indian minorities are living.

Kashmiri Muslims

Lord Hussain particularly mentioned about the human rights situation of the Kashmiri Muslims. He said, “In particular, Muslims, who form the largest minority in India, are facing enormous pressure because of various laws. For example, Kashmir is the only Muslim majority state in India, where, as we all know; Indian forces have been since 1947. However, since 1990, they have continuously enjoyed immunity via the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, through which they are being given licence to kill. I bring this up in the debate on religious minorities’ rights because 99.9% of the victims suffering at the hands of the armed forces with immunity under that Act are Muslims. More than 100,000 people have been killed in the last 20 years by the armed forces. I know that there have been reports lately that some soldiers have been charged for wrongdoings in Kashmir, but that is only a token prosecution. When the Foreign Secretary next sees his counterpart in India, will he raise the issue of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act and the immunity given to its forces in Kashmir? When will India take that away from them? When will it take the army back out of the cities and heavily populated areas?”

Observance of Basic Human Rights,

Right to Practise one’s religion

Professor the Rt. Revd Lord Harries of Pentregarth, a Crossbench Peer of the House of Lords expressed his concerns and worries about the observance of basic human rights.

Professor the Rt. Revd Lord Harries of Pentregarth

Lord Harries said, “There are some real worries about the observance of basic human rights, especially the right to practise one’s religion. On paper, India has an excellent secular constitution. As Amartya Sen has argued, “secular” here does not mean the banishment of religion from public life but the fact that all religions are treated, in theory, with equal respect and concern by the state and its institutions. However, in practice, because of certain Hindu extremist groups, there is sustained violence against Muslims, Sikhs and Christians. Human rights are indivisible, and my concern is with the freedom of all religions in India—Muslims and Sikhs as much as Christians, although I wish to focus on Christians for a few moments.”

Attacks on Christians

Speaking about the recorded attacks on Christians, Professor the RT Revd Richard Douglas Harries, Cross-Bench Peer of the House of Lords mentioned, “A new report from the Evangelical Fellowship of India documented 177 recorded attacks on Christians last year. Church services were stormed and Christian leaders harassed and assaulted. There were beatings and violence, including the rape of a 71 year-old nun. There were even reports of 18 church pastors being arrested. This, the report stressed, is a drop in the ocean because most cases are simply not recorded by the police or local government. These attacks on Christianity must also be understood in relation to the caste system, because many Christians are Dalits—the former untouchables. As is well known, Dalits suffer disproportionately by every possible criteria: the number of rapes, lack of clean water and sanitation, poverty, and inability to obtain justice from the police and judiciary. It should also be noted that Christian Dalits do not qualify for the positive discrimination measures that other Dalits enjoy, so they suffer twice—both as Dalits and as Christian Dalits. A full list of these gross injustices is being set out this month at the Human Rights Council in Geneva.”

Discrimination against Dalits

Speaking about the discrimination against Dalits, Lord Harries said, “Not surprisingly, a good number of Dalit Hindus in the past sought to convert to Christianity or Buddhism. However, it should be noted—to the shame of the church—that caste has now also heavily infiltrated the church. The point here is that Christians are the object of attack by Hindu extremist groups, because these groups believe that they seek to attract converts from Hinduism by the promise of escape from the caste system. Whether this is true or not, it is very difficult for people to convert should they want to because of the threat of violence. Yet freedom to convert from one religion to another is fundamental to Article 18.”

Hindu extremist groups

Speaking about the religious violence by the Hindu extremist groups against other religions, Lord Harries said, “Mr (Narendra) Modi, in his younger days, was a member of the RSS, the main Hindu extremist group. He has not disowned that past, nor, as far as I am aware has there been a ringing condemnation of Hindu-inflicted violence against other religions. At the moment, there seems to be a culture of impunity, which can only poison the atmosphere further and lead to an increased number of attacks. Will the Minister, in our dealings with the Indian Government, call on Mr Modi to be clear, forceful and unequivocal in condemning these Hindu extremist groups, and firm in ensuring that perpetrators of religious violence are brought to justice? On too many occasions, there has been little or no action against criminals when the victims have been Christian Dalits or simply Christians.”

Treatment of Religious minorities

In India problematic

Lord Nazir Ahmed of Rotherham, an Independent Peer of the House of Lords, British Parliament also took part in the debate and discussion on India: Freedom of Religion at the House of Lords.

Lord Ahmed

Lord Ahmed spoke about the alarming situation of the religious minorities in the so-called largest democracy in the world. He said, “Democracy without human rights, equality, fairness, rule of law and minority rights does not impress me. President Putin was democratically elected; Donald Trump is leading the race for the Republican Party presidential nomination in the US; Hitler was also democratically elected; and so were many others in history who had a terrible record in the treatment of religious minorities. I say to the noble Lord, Lord Sheikh, with all due respect, that I disagree with him: India’s record on the treatment of religious minorities has been problematic for decades.”

Reports of attacks, intimidation and

Marginalisation of religious minorities

Lord Ahmed continued, “We are seeing, as many had predicted, disturbing new levels of threat emerging since the formation of the openly Hindu nationalist BJP Government led by Prime Minister Modi. There are almost daily reports of attacks, intimidation and marginalisation of religious minorities. In 2015, President Obama identified the risk of religious intolerance as a possible cause of India failing as a state The noble Lord, Lord Singh, mentioned the tens of thousands of victims of mass violence, against Sikhs in Delhi in 1984 and Muslims in Gujarat in 2002, where mobs widely believed to have official backing massacred, raped and looted with impunity.”

“In the past year Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made numerous international trips in the hope of boosting trade and India’s engagement in global affairs. However, this did not go as planned as India continued to vote poorly when it came to human rights issues at the United Nations. I accept India being involved with the UN declaration, but India abstained from the Human Rights Council’s resolution on Syria, North Korea and Ukraine and voted against resolutions on Iran and Belarus. India’s long-term determination to play a larger role in global affairs and Prime Minister

Modi’s aspirations have been shot down because of India’s weak record on human rights, both at home and abroad,” mentioned Lord Ahmed.

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Christian Communities face

Discrimination and religious violence

Lord Ahmed mentioned about the discrimination and religious violence against Christian communities. He said, “Christian communities in India have faced discrimination, as we have heard, and religious violence over a period of time. For example, on 17 June 2014 in the Bastar district of Chhattisgarh, over 50 village councils adopted a resolution which banned all non-Hindu religious propaganda, prayers and speeches. In those communities this effectively criminalised the practice of Christianity for approximately 300 Christian families in the region. Many were also injured in the violence following that. Numerous incidents of violence have recently taken place in India over the consumption of beef, as mentioned by the noble Lord, Lord Hussain, and many have been killed.”

Sikhism as a distinct religion

Speaking about Sikhism as a distinct religion, Lord Ahmed said, “Lack of recognition of Sikhism as a distinct religion has gone on for too long. Article 25 of India’s constitution deems them to be Hindus for the purposes of religion and personal law. Sikhs’ efforts to amend that incredible, offensive and divisive article have been thwarted for decades. This has resulted in the prevention of members of the Sikh communities from accessing employment, social services and education, preferences available to other religious communities. Sikh community members are reportedly harassed and pressured to reject religious practices and beliefs distinct to Sikhism. In October 2015, security forces in Punjab killed two Sikhs and injured scores more who were protesting peacefully against the desecration of Sri Guru Granth Sahib, which is the holy Sikh scripture. No action has been taken against those who committed this sacrilege or the security personnel who killed those innocent Sikhs.”

Visa Refusal to the United States Commission

On International Religious Freedom

Lord Ahmed raised the topic of visa refusal to the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom. He mentioned, “The Indian Government has recently refused visas to the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom; this denial of impartial international access proves that there is still a veil that the Government of India and Mr Modi do not want the world to lift. I think it is clear that India has been and remains in breach of its duty towards minority religions. Prime Minister Modi and his allies in hard-line Hindu groups, such as Vishva Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, present a challenge to the international community. Do we confront this overt threat to tens of millions Christians, Muslims and Sikhs in India, or do we appease these extremist forces in the name of trade and profit? I urge the UK Government to make wiser choices and tailor its India policy towards the protection of internationally accepted religious freedoms. Backing India’s claim to a permanent seat on the UN Security Council, for example, is folly under present circumstances. Surely we should demand compliance with international law as a bare minimum price for such a prize.”

US Commission on International

Religious Freedom Annual Report

Lord Collins of Highbury, Peer from the Labour Party at the House of Lords took part in the discussion and debate.

Lord Collins of Highbury (Lab):

Lord Collins said, “Countries that do not respect religious freedom invariably do not respect other basic human rights. Last weekend I listened to BBC Radio 4’s “Sunday” programme—I am a regular listener despite being a Humanist—during which a representative from the US Commission on International Religious Freedom was interviewed about being denied the opportunity to visit India to examine reports of religious discrimination and abuse. In the commission’s recent annual report, it was suggested that incidents of religiously motivated and communal violence in India had increased for three consecutive years. NGOs and religious leaders, including leaders from the Muslim, Christian and Sikh communities, attributed the initial increase to religiously divisive campaigning in advance of the country’s general election.”

“Do the Government ensure that the issue of religious freedom is integrated into regular dialogue between India and the UK? Once again, as we have heard, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office seems focused on what it called prosperity interventions in India, but what is being done on human rights since Prime Minister Modi came to power? The prosperity agenda and the lives and fundamental freedoms of people must never be part of a cynical trade-off. You cannot trade human rights with economic trade,” said Lord Collins of Highbury.

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While paying tribute to the work of the noble Baroness, Lady Berridge, on religious freedom in the Commonwealth, Lord Collins said, “Despite the importance of the relationship with India, which I strongly respect, we must not shirk from raising human-rights issues if the country fails to adhere to domestic and international law.”

The Earl of Courtown (Con)

The Earl of Courtown from the Conservative Party said, we all deplore “the desecration of the sacred text of any religion and acts of violence against any human being on grounds of their faith. It is also natural that many will have worried about the effect on their own families of recent events in Haryana, Punjab and at Jawaharlal Nehru University. Many—again both here and in India—are rightly horrified at the crimes inflicted upon innocent women and girls going about their daily lives.”

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Human Rights Concerns in Kashmir

The Earl of Courtown also said, “We recognise that there are human rights concerns in Kashmir. Any allegations of human rights abuses should be investigated thoroughly, promptly and transparently. We are also aware that in Indian-administered Kashmir the Public Safety Act and the Armed Forces Act provide for detention and house arrest without trial for up to two years. We are also aware of the concerns regarding allegations of immunity from prosecution for Indian Armed Forces personnel in Indian-administered Kashmir. There is also a mechanism which allows people to request that the Government of India investigate such concerns. We expect all states to ensure that their domestic laws are in line with international standards. Any allegations of human rights abuses must be investigated thoroughly, promptly and transparently.”

Human rights violations on Muslims

The Earl of Courtown said, “As for the human rights attacks on Muslims recounted by the noble Lord, Lord Hussain, the United Kingdom engages on human rights matters with India, including religious freedom, both bilaterally and through EU-India human rights dialogue.”

Facts on the Ground reported

In the Newspapers and protest

Indian Intellectuals alarmed by

Rising intolerance attacks

It is reported on 1 November 2015 that “First writers then artists, followed by filmmakers, historians and scientists. The chorus of Indian intellectuals protesting religious bigotry and communal violence grows louder by the week with a single message for Prime Minister Narendra Modi: Protect India’s tradition of secularism and diversity. Those protesting are angry and worried by a spate of deadly attacks against atheist thinkers and minorities, and by Modi’s relative silence through it all.”

Arundhati Roy joins protest against intolerance

And returns award

It is reported on 5 November 2015 that “Booker Prize-winning novelist Arundhati Roy has joined the growing number of writers, filmmakers, scientists and historians voicing alarm over what they describe as a climate of religious intolerance and violence in India. Roy said in a sharply worded editorial published Thursday in The Indian Express newspaper that millions of minority people including Muslims, Christians and members of low-caste or tribal communities “are being forced to live in terror, unsure of when and from where the assault will come.”

It is also reported, “Already dozens of writers have returned awards to the country’s top literary institution, the Sahitya Academi, over disappointment that it has not condemned the recent killings of atheist activists who campaigned against religious superstition or Muslims rumored to have slaughtered cows or eaten cow meat.”

Roy said she was “so ashamed of what is going on in this country” and was pleased to return her 1989 national screenplay award and “to be a part of the political movement.” “I believe what artists and intellectuals are doing right now is unprecedented, and does not have a historical parallel. It is politics by other means,” said Roy, who in recent years has become a fervent civil rights activist.

Many of those protesting have also criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Hindu nationalist Bhartiya Janata Party for not speaking out against religious attacks, saying their silence has encouraged Hindu hard-liners to justify the attacks and assert Hindu superiority, it is reported in the press.

Religious Intolerance in India

Who’s afraid of Shah Rukh Khan?

Under the above caption, Mr. Aijaz Zaka Syed wrote in the Jeddah-based English daily Arab News dated 6 November 2015: “If this is how India’s biggest superstar, feted around the world including by universities such as Harvard and Edinburgh, is treated for once speaking his mind and not preening and fudging like the other politically correct Khans, imagine the predicament of the less fortunate members of his clan. But then what’s new? The more things change in India the more they remain the same. Indeed, they seem to be unraveling at an alarming pace.”

He also observed in his write-up: “He (Mr. Narendra Modi) has been in power barely a year and half and he has split the country down in the middle, with people who have co-existed in peace for centuries thirsting for each other’s blood. Not a day passes without the Hindutva rabble-rousers, many of them senior BJP leaders and members of Modi’s Cabinet, telling Muslims, Christians and other minorities to leave the country or persuading them with attacks such as Dadri.”

Mr. Zaka Syed maintained, “Is it any wonder then the foot soldiers see these comments as the leader’s nod and wink-wink to go berserk. As another group of writers pointed out this week in their letter of protest, the Dear Leader is not only tolerating spiraling acts of intolerance and violence, he is mandating them with his selective and strategic silence.

“This sinister silence has not only forced hundreds of writers, intellectuals, scientists, filmmakers and artists to come out on the streets, it provoked rare rebuke from the President of India at least thrice and one long, passionate speech from the Vice President. Theirs are ceremonial positions and they are supposed to read from the script. Nonetheless they couldn’t help emphasize the urgent need to uphold India’s traditions of tolerance and diversity. Even the international media, not too long ago gushing about the ‘rock star reception of Modi’ in America, has started noticing the dark underbelly. While New York Times on Tuesday slammed Modi for tolerating and encouraging the extremists, the Economist did a cover story titled ‘Lights! Camera! Inaction!’ underlining the reality of Modi hype,” concluded by Mr. Zaka Syed.