India abstained from voting at the UN General Assembly on a draft resolution introduced by Pakistan and co-sponsored by China on Islamophobia. India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj commented on the existence of other religiophobias against Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and other faiths facing violence and discrimination.
India also criticized Pakistan for its remarks on the Ram Temple in Ayodhya and the Citizenship Amendment Act during the 78th session of the UN General Assembly and termed it a “broken record” and stagnant.
During the 62nd plenary meeting on Friday, where the resolution ‘Measures to Combat Islamophobia’, Munir Akram, Pakistan’s Ambassador, was slammed by India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj for his comments.
“One final point concerns a delegation (and its remarks) that, much like a broken record, remains sadly stagnant while the world progresses,” she said.
Kamboj said it is “unfortunate indeed to witness this delegation’s limited and misguided perspective on matters relating to my country, the more so when the General Assembly considers a matter that demands wisdom, depth, and a global outlook from the entire membership—perhaps not the forte of this delegation.”
Previous Controversy
Last month, India slammed Pakistan for its comments on the Kashmir issue at the UN Human Rights Council. Anupama Singh, the First Secretary of the Permanent Mission of India to the UN in Geneva, said that it was unfortunate for the Council that the platform was being misused with false accusations. He also confirmed that Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh were integral and inalienable parts of India.
“We cannot pay any further attention to a country that speaks while being soaked in red—the red of the bloodshed from the terrorism it sponsors around the world; the red of its debt-riddled national balance sheets; and the red of the shame its own people feel for their government having failed to serve their actual interests,” Singh said.
India’s Stance
Ruchira Kamboj explained India’s position on the resolution on ‘Measures to Combat Islamophobia’ and said, “In our world today, we are confronted with escalating geopolitical tensions and unequal developments resulting in a concerning rise in intolerance, discrimination, and violence based on religion or belief.”
Warning against dividing the global body into religious camps, the UN representative said that India has strongly condemned all forms of religiophobia, be it anti-Semitism, Christianophobia, or Islamophobia, as it stands against all anti-Hindu, anti-Buddhist, and anti-Sikh sentiments.
“India, as a proud champion of pluralism, firmly upholds the principle of equal protection and promotion of all religions and all faiths,” she added.
Highlighting the increasing attacks on religious places of worship, Kamboj said, “The destruction of the Bamiyan Buddhas, violations of Gurudwara premises, massacres of Sikh pilgrims in Gurudwaras, attacks on temples, and the glorification of breaking idols in temples all contribute to the rise of contemporary forms of religiophobia against non-Abrahamic religions,” Kamboj said.
She further said that Hinduism, with over 1.2 billion followers, Buddhism, with more than 535 million followers, and Sikhism, with over 30 million followers worldwide, are all subject to religiophobia.
“It is time that we acknowledge the prevalence of religiophobia rather than just single out one,” Kamboj emphasized.
Kamboj, during the general assembly, urged, “I would ask all member states to consider the broader scope of religious discrimination that persists globally.”
She said that while the issue of Islamophobia is undoubtedly significant, other religions are also facing discrimination and violence.
The General Assembly adopted the resolution, with 115 nations voting in favor, none against, and 44 abstentions, including India, Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, Ukraine, and the UK.
