Efforts to address anti-Muslim crimes, Islamophobia lacking: Anand Teltumbde

The B.R. Ambedkar biographer and academic was speaking alongside several other human rights activists on the UN's International Day to Combat Islamophobia

Anand Tultumbde, academic, biographer of B.R. Ambedkar, speaks up against Islamophobia, anti-Muslim hate
i
user

PTI

There is a lack of coordinated efforts to address Islamophobia and anti-Muslim crimes and the need is to have a strong and sustainable collective strategy, said human rights activist and author Anand Teltumbde on Saturday, 15 March.

March 15 has been designated by the United Nations as International Day to Combat Islamophobia, recognising the growing global issue of anti-Muslim sentiment.

Teltumbde was speaking at an iftar event organised by the Students Islamic Organisation of India (SIO) Maharashtra south zone to mark the occasion.

Teltumbde, who has written extensively on caste dynamics in India, said Islamophobia and anti-Muslim crimes have existed for a long time, but added that they have become more blatant since 2014.

Lamenting the lack of coordinated efforts to address the issue, he said, "A strong and sustainable collective strategy is essential to counter the rising wave of Islamophobia."

Human rights activist Nadeem Khan also emphasised the need for strong legal interventions to curb such occurrences effectively, while senior journalist and political analyst Saleem Khan stated that such activities cannot take place without political backing.

Several political leaders in Maharashtra openly make anti-Muslim statements, which play a crucial role in fostering an atmosphere of hate, Saleem Khan claimed.

Speaking at the event, SIO Maharashtra South Zone president Simab Khan urged all justice-seeking political and social organisations to join forces in countering the growing atmosphere of hatred in Maharashtra.

He reiterated SIO's commitment to leading this initiative to prevent such hostility and to build a peaceful, harmonious and inclusive Maharashtra.

Follow us on: Facebook, Twitter, Google News, Instagram 

Join our official telegram channel (@nationalherald) and stay updated with the latest headlines