- The State Department cites threats against other historic mosques.
- FO highlights increasing marginalization of Indian Muslims.
- The UN called for the protection of Islamic heritage internationally.
Pakistan has noted with deep concern the flag hoisting at the so-called “Ram Temple” built on the site of the historic Babri Mosque in Ayodhya, the External Affairs Ministry said on Tuesday.
The Babri Mosque, a centuries-old place of worship, was demolished on December 6, 1992 by extremist mobs inspired by fascist ideologies.
The subsequent legal proceedings in India, which acquitted those responsible and allowed the construction of a temple on the site of the demolished mosque, speak volumes about the Indian state’s discriminatory approach to minorities.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has raised a saffron flag on top of the “temple” during a “sacred ceremony” marking the formal completion of its construction, Indian media reported.
In a statement, Foreign Ministry spokesman Tahir Hussain Andrabi said this reflected a wider pattern of pressure on religious minorities in India and deliberate attempts to erode Muslim cultural and religious heritage under the influence of majoritarian Hindutva ideology.
“Numerous other historic mosques now face similar threats of desecration or demolition, while Indian Muslims continue to experience growing social, economic and political marginalization,” he said.
The spokesman said that Pakistan calls on the international community to take cognizance of the rising Islamophobia, hate speech and hate-motivated attacks in India.
The United Nations and relevant international bodies, he stressed, must play a constructive role in protecting the Islamic heritage and ensuring the protection of the religious and cultural rights of all minorities.
“Pakistan urges the Government of India to uphold its responsibility by ensuring the safety of all religious communities, including Muslims, and by protecting their places of worship in accordance with international human rights obligations.”
