The statement below is from the Seattle chapter of the International League of People’s Struggles (ILPS), a global formation of people’s organizations and movements striving to realize the unity, cooperation and coordination of anti-imperialist and democratic struggles around the world.
Link to ILPS website: https://ilps.info/en/
The International League of Peoples’ Struggle (ILPS) strongly condemns the on-going fascist attacks by the Modi government with its new citizenship law (the Citizenship Amendment Act and the National Register of Citizens) discriminating against the Muslim minority in India. Modi’s regime is engaging in ethnic cleansing on religious communal lines to realize the right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) vision of a Hindu fundamentalist state
The Indian government is building “detention camps” for the “illegal” citizens similar to the Jewish ghettos and concentration camps under Nazi Hitler’s rule. Mainstream media and social media are flooded with manipulated news in favor of the citizenship law. The fascist attack is backed by paramilitary groups headed by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) openly calling for the genocide of Muslims. Protesters are being killed or detained arbitrarily, and the number of vulnerable refugees are rising.
On the night of 23 February 2020, a series of violent incidents began in North East Delhi, targeting Muslim minorities of that area. This happened immediately after three BJP leaders and ministers visited a prominent protest of women at Shaheenbagh in Delhi and threatened them with dire consequences if they did not stop the protest immediately.
Another minister of BJP took part in a public call of ‘shoot the traitors (Muslims)’. These hate speeches triggered violent attacks in North East Delhi for four days, killing 50 (with severe bullet injuries) and injuring more than 400, majority are Muslims. Delhi kept burning exactly the same time when Trump was in Delhi and genocide continued after he left, even more intensively. Police stood silently and in few cases they took part in attacking minorities and giving covers to the attackers.
In April, Modi’s government cracked down on ILPS member organization the Youth’s Forum for Protection of Human Rights, arresting two of its leading activists in warrantless midnight raids on their homes. The organization was calling for immediate relief and support for marginalized, indigenous communities and national minorities during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Both State and Central governments are allowing this carnage to happen to send a message to all Muslims in India that no protest will be allowed. Fascist governments in India, the Philippines, Palestine, and elsewhere are using the pandemic as a pretense for increasing militarization against indigenous populations and national minorities, and stifling dissent by criminalizing political organizing and cracking down on critique.
The International community condemned this genocide. The people of India cannot expect relief from courts and the government. Hence, global pressure is critical.
ILPS calls on all its members and allies to join the united front, denounce the fascist attacks in India, and support the justified struggle of the people of India to fight back and assert their freedom, democratic rights and solidarity with all peoples resisting imperialism and fascism.
The World Is Watching India 