The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today strongly condemned India’s far-right and anti-Muslim Hindutva government for bombing mosques and civilians in Pakistan.
On Tuesday, the Indian government launched missile attacks on numerous sites on Pakistani territory, including Pakistan-administered Kashmir. India claims its attacks were a response to a deadly terrorist attack on tourists in India-occupied Kashmir two weeks ago that claimed 26 lives, including a Kashmiri Muslim who attempted to rescue victims. Pakistan has denied any involvement in the attack, and the identity of the perpetrators remains unclear.
The devastating impact of India’s bombing on civilian populations has led to at least eight civilian deaths including an infant, and 35 injuries. Pakistan has reportedly shot down several Indian fighter jets and pledged to retaliate.
Kashmir has been under Indian occupation for over 75 years and is reportedly the most heavily militarized zone in the world, with over 700,000 Indian army and 200,000 paramilitary forces present.
In recent years, the Indian government has stripped the Muslim-majority province of its autonomy and violently cracked down on free speech and freedom of assembly.
Extremist Hindutva political leaders have also spoken of creating greater India, annexing Pakistan-administered Kashmir, and disregarding the rights of the mostly Muslim Kashmiri citizens of the area.
In a statement, CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad said:
“We strongly condemn the Indian government for bombing mosques and civilians in Pakistan. This deliberate targeting of civilians and religious sites—such as mosques—reflects the goals of the fascist, anti-Muslim Hindutva movement embodied by Narendra Modi.
“This escalation underscores the dangerous trajectory of Modi’s government, which has increasingly used militarism and aggressive rhetoric rooted in the genocidal anti-Muslim bigotry of Hindutva extremism to justify violent acts and suppress minority populations, including in Kashmir.
“We call on the Trump administration to demand that Modi and his radical government deescalate before this unnecessary conflict spirals into further violence. Our nation should also call for an independent investigation into the horrific attack in Pahalgam, and for those actually responsible for that crime to face appropriate accountability.
“The rise of violent Hindutva extremism under Modi, as well as India’s ongoing occupation and oppression of Kashmir, threaten peace across the region and even around the world.
“We stand in solidarity with Pakistani, Kashmiri and Indian-American communities impacted by the Modi government’s crimes.”
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
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CONTACT: CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, rmccaw@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, iallison@cair.com