PPP condemns violence in India against minorities.

Sherry Rehman, the PPP’s Senate parliamentary leader, blasted Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday for failing to prevent Hindu extremist organizations from attacking religious minorities, particularly Christians and Muslims.

Days before December 25, right-wing extremists disrupted school festivities and set fire to festive products in the northeast, while individuals brandishing wooden sticks damaged Christmas decorations at a retail center in central India, according to Indian media. In the lead-up to the festival, incidents were recorded in Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, Assam, and Chhattisgarh.

“What stops Prime Minister Modi from condemning the actions of Hindu radicals who attack Christians — as we all do in Pakistan — from clearly stating that such violence is unacceptable in a civilised country?” queried the senator.

“I think we know the answer, he is okay with impunity.”

Senator Sherry emphasized that a leader’s ability to deal with extremism inside their own base of support is ultimately what determines how effective they are. She pointed out that remaining silent runs the risk of normalizing hate-motivated violence and indicating tolerance for impunity.

Her comments are in line with a Wall Street Journal article that noted a sharp rise in violence against India’s religious minority since Prime Minister Modi took office in 2014.

According to the report, organizations connected to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have been implicated in violence against Christians and Muslims in addition to systematic discrimination in housing, work, education, and civic engagement.

It further stated that the Muslim community in India, which makes up around 14% of the country’s population, has been the target of the worst attacks, experiencing extensive ghettoization and social marginalization.

Christians, who comprise only 2.3% of the population and are primarily from low-income areas, have also been targeted more frequently.