In a response to growing incidents against Muslims in India, Saudi scholar Sheikh Abidi Zahrani has called for the expulsion of militant radical Hindus from the Gulf. Zahrani has urged Gulf governments to clamp down on those showing sympathy with extremist Hindu ideology under the hashtag #Send_Hindutva_Back_Home.
This reaction was fuelled by the increasing attacks on Indian Muslims by extremist Hindus, many of whom have blamed Muslims for the spread of the novel coronavirus across the country, spreading false allegations that the pandemic is an Islamic conspiracy by terming the phenomenon as “corona jihad”. Rising cases of violence and hatred against Muslims in the past few weeks, as well as the denial of medical care to those in need, have sparked a new wave of communalism in India following months of protests against the Centre’s Citizenship Amendment Act.
Zahrani further tweeted that while Gulf states, who host millions of Indian migrant workers, are providing free treatment to all COVID-19 patients regardless of faith, Hindutva “terrorist gangs” are continuing to commit crimes against Muslim citizens in India. Followers responding to his tweets also exposed certain Hindu individuals who work in the Gulf but have made statements blaming “Mullahs” for the spread of the virus.
For Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Hindutva-aligned Bharatiya Janata Party, growing communal violence within India’s borders has already led to widespread international criticism. Increasing incidences and appeals like these from respected Arab Islamic scholars may stand to jeopardize India’s cordial relations with the Gulf.
Image Source: Times Headline
Saudi Scholar Calls for Expulsion of Militant Hindus From the Gulf
Sheikh Zahrani made this appeal amid reports of growing violence against Indian Muslims.
April 20, 2020
