Minorities’ rights in B’desh, India must be protected, says All India Muslim body

Kolkata: The All India Imam-Muazzin & Social Welfare Organisation on Sunday urged the governments of Bangladesh and India to take immediate and effective measures to protect the rights of minorities. It called on both governments to uphold their commitments to international human rights standards and ensure that all citizens, regardless of their background, can live in safety and dignity. Condemning the violence against minorities in both countries, the organisation during a press conference expressed its “deep concerns” on the recent incidents of violence against minorities in Bangladesh and the “ongoing issues in India over the last decade”. It reiterated that protecting the rights of minorities is primarily the responsibility of the governments of the countries.

According to the organisation, in India, despite constitutional guarantees and various legal protections, minorities “often face discrimination and violence”. “Articles 29 and 30 of the Indian Constitution specifically protect the cultural and educational rights of minorities. However, recent reports highlight increased abuses and discriminatory policies against religious and other minorities. Incidents of violence, including recurrent mob lynching across the states, underscore the urgent need for stronger protections and accountability,” it said.

“Muslims are being harassed in various states based on their clothing or food. Migrant workers from Bengal, who have moved to other states, are being harassed and even killed on suspicion of being Bangladeshi due to their Bengali language,” said a spokesperson of the organisation, adding that protecting minority rights is not only a legal obligation but also a moral imperative for social cohesion and regional stability.

The organisation urged the people of both countries to build people-to-people contact and counter the ecosystem of misinformation orchestrated by vested media interests.