Jessica Holliday

May 4th, 2021

Office of Research Analyst on Islam in the Indian Context

New Delhi, India

Memorandum For:
Research Analyst on Hinduism in the Indian context
Research Analyst on Hindu Nationalism and the BJP party in the Indian context
Research Analyst on all other political parties in the Indian context
Research Analyst on Human Rights concerns in the Indian context

Subject: Policy solutions in response to human rights challenges and the discrimination of
minorities specifically Muslims in India.

Background:

“India is home to some two hundred million Muslims, one of the world’s largests Muslim
populations but a minority in the predominately Hindu country (Maizland, 2020)”. The country
of India is extremely diverse in regards to religion and ethnicity. This is mainly due to the large
population of around 3 billion people making it the largest democracy in the world. Though, the
country has a large divided population of Hindus and Muslims. These two religions have been in
conflict since the independence of India and is often said to be caused by Western influence. This
could be due to several ideas and political decisions that were made by the British during their
imperial rule such as the 1909 decision that created separate electorates in local elections
between the Muslims and the Hindus (Pillalamarri, 2019). Muslism and Hindus have been pitted
against each other. Since the Muslim population is the minority, they have faced a large amount
of violence and discrimination. Though, many do not believe that the divide is due to Britain, but
due to political culture and influence. Due to the devastation that World War II created for
Britain, not only physically, but also economically, they lacked the monetary funds to continue
maintaining their imperial empire within India. In the years leading up to India’s independence,
The Indian National Congress Party and the All-India Muslim League had different views
regarding how India independence should be given. The Indian National Congress Party pushed
towards independence from Great Britain through mass protests and a variety of civil
disobedience. While the All-Indian Muslim League wanted a separate state for Muslims
(Maizland, 2020). Although these religious groups have several similarities on how they praise
and worship, ultimately they have different cultural orientations and beliefs in how India should
be run as a country (Pillalamarri, 2019).
As India inched closer to independence both parties were still arguing on how to correctly create
borders and gain this independence. Within the next year Britain had created borders, giving the
Hindu majority India and creating a Muslim dominated Pakistan. This created a large amount of
controversy between the Muslim and Hindu populations and lead to mass migrations of Muslims
to Pakistan. During this time, a rough estimate of between two hundred thousand and two million
Muslims were killed during their migration. This decision led to mass amounts of violence.
Though, thirty five million Muslims who opposed the migration and movement to Pakistan
decided to stay in India (Maizland, 2020). These populations had lived in harmony for years
before this event, but the British split of Muslims to Pakistan and Hindus to India created an
extreme amount of tension that still exists today. After the partition of India, the Indian
constitution was created (Maizland, 2020). This constitution included social equality and
nondiscrimination as well as a secular state. The creators (The Congress Party) believed that
India should be a state where all citizens and religions are equal.

Though this did not last long, as the Hindu Nationalist Party soon came to power. The Hindu
Nationalist Party believed that the Hindu religion was the true and only religion of India
(Maizland, 2020). They believed this because Hindu holy lands were in India whereas Muslim
holy lands were in the Middle East. The Hindu Nationalist Party believed in a complete Hindu
dominated India and saw Muslims in India as foreigners. This belief only grew with the creation
of the Bharatiya Janata Party in 1980. Throughout the parties early time in office, they fought for
more radical goals towards making India a completely Hindu country. This included “ending the
special status of Kashmir, a disputed Muslim-majority region, constructing a Hindu temple in the
northern city of Ayodhya; and creating a uniform civil code so all citizens would have the same
personal laws (Maizland, 2020)”. Though the BJP lost power in 2004, they quickly regained it in
2014 and have held it ever since.

This party has created an exclusion of Muslims not only within the government, but within India
itself. Muslims have faced discrimination throughout the country in a variety of ways such as
sacred spaces and housing (Maizland, 2020). These make it almost impossible for Muslims to
achieve governmental power or wealth of any kind. They face a lack of employment, access to
health care, education, and several other basic needs. This has led to a variety of human rights
violations within the country such as arbitrary arrest and touture as well as harassment
(Maizland, 2020). The government has also implemented several policies that discrimination
towaerds the Muslim population.

Objectives:
● Secure religious freedom for the Muslim population of India
● Remove discrimination of the Muslim population from the Indian government and
policies
● Create Muslim representation in the Indian goverment
 ● Ensure the protection of Hindu culture and religion within India

Options and Analysis:

1. The implementation of a fund to protection and support the Muslim population

The Indian government may create a fund to protect and support the Muslim population.
Throughout the past several decades the Muslim population has not only faced discrimination,
but also violence that has caused displacement and the inability to economically grow. This
should also include the allotment of government money from are areas such as education and
housing to Muslim specific education and housing. The discrimination against the Muslim
population has led to displacement as well as the closeure of many schools that teach Islam.
Money should be given specifically towards building homes for Muslims as well as building
schools that are specifically equipped to teach Islam. Those who have faced discrimination
should also be given monthy stipends until they are able to get back on their feet and
discrimination ends. Though this could possibly have several issues. The first issue would be
where is this money coming from? This money would be taken directly from the government and
paid straight to Muslim Indian citizens in monthly payments of the median average salary in
India. The payment plans would only last a year or until discrimination ends. Though, this could
receive a lot of backlash from Hindu Indian citizens.

2. Create several committees to address the Hindu-Muslim cultural and religious divide

The Indian government could work towards the creation of several new committees
within the government. These committees would include a variety of representatives from both
the Hindu and Muslim religions. This would include both standing and ad hoc committees
working towards addressing current and future issues related to the religious divide. The ad hoc
committee would work towards addressing the current issues within India such as the
discrimination of the Muslim population as well as the violence they face. This committee would
be broken into several working groups to address each individual issue such as education,
displacement, and the creation of sacred spaces for Muslims within India. These committees
would meet monthly until these issues are addressed and then will meet as needed. This ad hoc
committee will be led by a leader from the Hindu group as well as a leader from the Muslim
group. It will also include several members of each religious community as well as a leader of a
mosque, economic advisors, and a leader of a temple. This committee will be responsible for
addressing the current issues within India and solving the discrimination towards Muslims will
working to create equality for both groups. The Indian government could also create a standing
committee. This would be a committee of members of the Muslim population including members
of the community, leaders within the religion, and an Imam (leader of a mosque). The committee
would meet regularly with the Indian government to include Muslim representation within the
government. This committee will be included in discussion regarding new policies and laws as
well as being a voice for the Muslim comunity and their ideas and worries. Though these
committees will most likely be opposed by members of the Hindu community, they will
eventually be accepted and can work towards creating peace within the religious groups.

3. Remove policies that are discriminatory towards the Muslim population

Currently in India there are several policies and laws that are discriminatory towards the
Muslim population. Recently, the Indian government run by the BJP party implemented a new
citizenship law (Human Rights Watch, 2020). This citizenship law uses religion as a discrepancy
for granting citizenship. Under this new law, asylum is fast-tracked for those who are non
Muslim immigrants from countries that border Muslim countries. Recently, the government has
also pushed towards a nationwide citizenship verification process that has many Indian Muslims
in fear that they will be stripped of their citizenship rights. Many Muslims have protested
peacefully and have been accused of “conspiring against the national interests” (India:
Government Policies, actions target minorities 2021). Though, this is not the only discriminatory
policy implemented by the Indian government. In counterpart to the new citizenship law, the
Indian government has also revoked the constitutional right to self govern that was granted to the
only Muslim majority state of India (Jammu and Kashmir). As well as banning public meetings,
detaining thousands, and shutting down educational institutions (India: Government Policies,
actions target minorities 2021). Within the religions of Muslim and Hindu are a vareity of
different rules and regulations. The Hindu religion finds cows sacred and forbids the
consumption of beef whereas the Muslims do not eat pork. The Indian government uses laws
against the slaughter of cows to prosecute Muslim cattle traders. Often, members of the Hindu
religion attack Muslims over rumors that they have traded or killed cows in order to get beef
(India: Government Policies, actions target minorities 2021). These discriminatory laws are a
violation of human rights. By abolishing these policies, the Indian government could work
towards eliminating the discrimination against the Muslim population within the Indian
government. Though, this could lead to controversy from the Hindu population. The policies and
actions of the Indian government that are discriminatory that led the Hindu population to believe
that Muslims deserve to be discriminated against. If this is addressed within the government and
these policies it could change the opinions of the population.

Recommendation and Justification:

As a research analyst tasked with understanding the Muslim population within the Indian context
I recommend a push towards the removal of discriminatory policies and the implementation of
several committees within the Indian government. The Muslim population within India has faced
discrimination and violence from not only the Hindu population, but also the Indian government
itself. Several policies have been created to limit the amount of Muslims within the country and
reduce their happiness and culture such as the 2019 Citizenship Law. This law and others like it
that are discriminatory should be removed. The Hindu citizens of India find the government very
influential as most countries do. When the Indian government is implementing laws against the
Muslim population the Hindu population is going to not only enforce these laws, but view the
Muslim population in a bad light. This has led to a variety of violence against the Muslims by the
Hindus. The Indian government must immediately stop the usage of these policies as well as
release a statement regarding the discrimination of Muslims. This statement should create a new
policy against the discrimination of the Muslim population in which violence against them will
be punished. As well as the removal of Muslims from the Dalits. The Dalits are the lowest rank
in the Indian Caste system. They do not hold this rank for any other reason other than being of
the Muslim religion. The Muslim religion does not follow the caste system and should not be
included within it. The government must make the first step towards reducing discrimination as
well as human rights violations. By removing these policies, several objectives listed above can
be achieved including the removal of discrimintion for the Muslim population from the Indian
government and polices. As well as helping to secure religious freedom for the Muslim
population of India.

The Indian government should also implement several committees within the government. These
committees as stated above will include several ad hoc committees and a standing committee.
The ad hoc committees will work to address current issues within the government and
discrimination. This committees will include leaders from both the Muslim and Hindu
population as well as representatives from a mosque and a temple. The committees will also
include members from both communities. They will be tasked with addressing current issues
such as the displacement of Muslims, education, and employment. Within the ad hoc committees
a group will also be dedicated solely to the creation of Muslim religious sacred spaces in India.
Muslim sacred spaces in India have been destroyed by Hindus using violence. The Muslim
population must have sacred spaces in which they can worship fully. These ad hoc committees
will meet until the discrimination against the Muslims has ended and all goals are achieved. The
standing committee will be made up of members of only the Muslim population. This will be
done in order to achieve an equal representation for both religions within the Indian government
and achieve the objective of creating Muslim representation in the Indian government. The
committee will be made up of community members, religious leaders, and Imam’s. They will
meet directly with the Indian cabinet and will be included in all meetings. This group will be
responsible for giving the Muslim population a voice within the government and decide what
will benefit the population in regards to the implementation of new policies and laws. By giving
both the Hindu and Muslim populations representation within government the two objectives of
ensuring the protection of Hindu culture and religion within India can be acheived as well as
securing religious freedom for the Muslim population of India can be acheived.
As the research analyst on Islam in the Indian context I have been tasked with ensuring the safety
and inclusion of the Muslim population. Within my recommendation above I hope to not only
create equality for the Muslims in India, but more importantly create equity. These populations
do not have the same wants and goals therefore neither groups will be happy if they are equal.
The Indian government must strive for equity between the groups to ensure both populations are
given what they desire and deserve within their religious sectors.
 Works Cited

Biswas, S. (2016, May 10). Why are many Indian muslims seen As untouchable? Retrieved May
09, 2021, from https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-36220329

Human Rights Watch. (2020, June 16). "Shoot the traitors". Retrieved May 09, 2021, from
https://www.hrw.org/report/2020/04/09/shoot-traitors/discrimination-against-muslims-un
der-indias-new-citizenship-policy#

India: Government Policies, actions target minorities. (2021, February 19). Retrieved May 09,
2021, from
https://www.hrw.org/news/2021/02/19/india-government-policies-actions-target-minoritie
s

Maizland, L. (2020, August 20). India's Muslims: An increasingly marginalized population.

Retrieved May 09, 2021, from
https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/india-muslims-marginalized-population-bjp-modi

Pillalamarri, A. (2019, March 16). The origins of Hindu-muslim conflict in South Asia.
Retrieved May 09, 2021, from
https://thediplomat.com/2019/03/the-origins-of-hindu-muslim-conflict-in-south-asia/#:~:t
ext=India's%20partition%20and%20the%20conflict,granted%20their%20own%20countr
y%2C%20Pakistan.