New Delhi: Around 100 signatories including academics and activists expressed their solidarity with Delhi Minority Commission chairman Dr. Zafarul Islam Khan who is slapped with cases for a social media post. In a statement released here, the signatories condemned the continued media trial and targeting of Zafarul Islam Khan for his Facebook post.
In his post Zafarul Islam Khan had mentioned the deterioration of human rights of Indian Muslims. The statement said that a few politicians with ulterior motives and media persons known for spreading bigotry and Islamophobia have mischievously sought to misinterpret his statement and ridiculously label him as anti-Hindu and anti-India.
“He has only reiterated what many citizens of India, public figures, international institutions, various European governments, the United States of America and United Nations human rights mechanisms have repeatedly underlined their concern at the increasing human rights abuse and violations of religious minorities in India,” the statement reads.
The signatories cited the failure of certain Indians to differentiate between Hinduism, a religion and Hindutva which is a supremacist political ideology.
“Dr Zafarul Islam Khan is a man of integrity. He is a scholar who is known to stand up for constitutional freedoms and values. His work as the Chairman of Delhi Minorities Commission has been warmly applauded by human rights activists and NGOs across different faiths. His timely interventions on problems of minorities in Delhi have made him a respectable figure among not only Muslims but Sikh, Christians, Jains and Parsis,” the statement continued.
Delhi police has registered a case of sedition against Zafrul Islam Khan for his provocative remarks on social media. An FIR was registered even as Khan apologised and removed the post.
Delhi Police Special Cell registered the FIR on the complaint of a Vasant Kunj resident. The complaint came to the Lodhi Colony office of the special cell, after the Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Safdarjung Enclave forwarded it.
Khan on April 28 had posted comments on Hindutva bigotry on his Facebook page. "Mind you, bigots, Indian Muslims have opted until now not to complain to the Arab and Muslim world about your hate campaigns and lynchings and riots. The day they are pushed to do that, bigots will face an avalanche," Khan had written on Facebook.