UP Minister for UN intervention into 'miseries' of minorities

Amid outcry over lynching of a 50-year-old Muslim man in Dadri, senior Uttar Pradesh Minister Azam Khan today sought intervention of United Nations to look into the "miseries" of minorities in India.

In a letter to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, Khan also attacked RSS accusing it of working to turn secular and pluralistic India into a majoritarian theocratic nation as 'Hindu Rashtra'.

"Facist forces are attempting to create a divide in the society by launching a hate campaign against Muslims and Dadri incident is an example of this," Khan told reporters here.

In his letter, the minister said there had been sporadic incidents of ethnic or communal clashes, but the real essence of freedom and secularism has never been under question or threat as it was for last one and half years.

"The new government took oath in the name of Constitution of India, but its motivation, inspiration and guiding light also comes from some other fundamentalist and extra constitutional authority named RSS," he said.

Khan said, "Since the new government took charge and most of its members have been longtime workers and cadres of RSS and its other affiliates, they pledge their obedience to this organisation first and ideology or world view of this organisation is an article of faith for them."

He alleged that in this regard most of the members of the Union cabinet give mixed signal to society on the issue of protecting the interest of the minorities in the country.

"The government provides tacit support to those campaign or programmes that create fear among minorities and intimidate them," he alleged.

"I humbly request to the highest international body to look into our miseries and take care of us and impress upon the Indian government to stick to international agreements and allow to flourish secularism and plurality in the country and not to push the agenda of extra constitutional authorities to turn India into theocratic majority Hindu nation," he said.

Khan also said he wanted President Pranab Mukhrjee and PM Modi to call a round table conference and discuss campaign against Muslims in the name of beef and attempts to turn India into a Hindu nation.

The SP leader said the aggression of RSS and its affiliate organisation has multiplied because they want to make India minority free around 2022-23.

He alleged that Dadri incident was a grim reminder and sinister campaign of this organisation where one old Muslim man was lynched on the rumour of consuming beef.

Khan alleged that ever since Narendra Modi took over as the Prime Minister, the fear among minorities especially Muslims and Christians has increased "as he (Modi) always keeps mum on the rabidity of RSS and its affiliate organisations."

Pointing out that Modi was denied visa by US and other European countries after Gujarat riots, Khan said, "Once he became the PM, he reached to the world leaders and assured them that India will be always secular and plural, but the ground reality is totally different."

"He talks something before the world leaders and the UNGA, but does opposite and provide tacit support to RSS and its affiliates to initimidate minorities in the country to convert India into majority Hindu nation and minority less country by 2022-23," he alleged.

Khan said "millions" of minorities in the country have every right to enjoy freedom guaranteed by the Indian Constitution, UN and world authorities as an international agreement.

To a question, he said that narrating his pain before the UN should not be taken as a statement against India.

"The UN was constituted to ensure that human rights were not violated in the world and it is viewed equally, therefore I have narrated my pain before it (through the letter)," he said.

The minister said that the type of language being used for Muslims in India, was not used even in an uncultured society.