(New York, NY 08/03/2020) -On August 5th, Hindutva supremacist groups will celebrate the construction of a Hindu Temple at Uttar Pradesh’s Ayodhya, the very location where the historical Babri Mosque was destroyed and over 2,000 Muslims were killed in pogroms and riots across India since 1992. At a time when India is facing intense right-wing Hindu nationalism under an Islamophobic and racist government, such a celebration in Times Square is insulting to human rights, equality and tolerance. Majlis Ash-Shura strongly condemns this upcoming celebration that celebrates the second-class treatment and oppression of Indian Muslims, and the destruction of their holy sites.
These acts remain a part of the string of recent anti-Muslim legislation and oppression undertaken by the Modi government in India. Currently, the Modi government holds a list of thousands of mosques across India with plans to demolish them in replacement of Hindu Temples. These are egregious violations of human rights and religious tolerance.
Majlis Ash-Shura: Islamic Leadership Council of New York – an umbrella organization for over 90 Muslim-led organizations and mosques – vehemently opposes the upcoming celebration in Times Square. Our diverse city cannot celebrate human rights abuses and disregard the current violent situation occurring in India against Indian Muslims. We urge you to call the Times Square Ad agency and your representatives demanding to cancel this event, and support human rights organizations who are working hard to call attention to this issue.