Islamabad (TDI): Pakistan on Monday expressed serious concern over what it described as the continued persecution of religious minorities in India, following reports of vandalism and disruptions linked to Christmas celebrations in several Indian states.
In a statement, the Foreign Office (FO) said incidents targeting Christian festivities, along with broader actions against minority communities, were deeply troubling. “The persecution of minorities in India is a matter of deep concern,” the statement said.
According to Indian media, mobs armed with wooden sticks damaged Christmas decorations at a shopping mall in central India last week, while right-wing groups disrupted school celebrations and set fire to holiday-related material in other regions. The incidents were reported in Chhattisgarh, Assam, Kerala and Uttar Pradesh ahead of Christmas.
The FO said that recent acts of vandalism during Christmas, coupled with what it termed state-backed campaigns against Muslims, including the demolition of homes and repeated lynchings, have created fear and insecurity among minority communities.
The statement also referred to the killing of Muhammad Akhlaq, a 50-year-old Muslim man who was beaten to death in Uttar Pradesh in 2015 after rumours circulated that his family had stored and consumed beef. His son was seriously injured in the attack. Pakistani officials noted that recent reports suggesting efforts to withdraw the case against the accused had further deepened concerns, even though Indian courts later dismissed the government’s plea.
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“The list of such victims is sadly long,” the FO said, urging the international community to take notice and to help ensure the protection of fundamental rights of vulnerable communities in India.
Indian media reported that in Raipur, the capital of Chhattisgarh, a mob stormed a shopping mall and destroyed Christmas installations. The incident coincided with a call for a general strike by the Sarva Hindu Samaj group to protest alleged religious conversions and local disputes.
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Around 80 to 90 people reportedly entered the premises, threatened staff and engaged in violent behavior. Separately, in Assam’s Nalbari district, members of the Vishva Hindu Parishad Bajrang Dal were reported to have vandalised a school and disrupted Christmas preparations.
