(HOUSTON, TX 6/23/22) – On Friday, June 24, the Houston chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR-Houston) will join a broad coalition of Muslim community organizations, led by ICNA-Houston, in a protest of the recent human rights violations by the Indian government as well as the insults by a member of the ruling BJP party toward the Prophet Mohamed (peace be upon him).  

WHEN: Friday, June 24, 2022, from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm 

WHERE:  Across from the Consulate General of India – 4300 Scotland Street, Houston, TX 77007 

SEE: https://fb.me/e/2xcf06T1d 

CONTACT: CAIR Houston Director of Operations William White w-white@cair.com, 713-838-2247 

The protest is being organized by the Islamic Circle of North America Houston (ICNA Houston) and a coalition of Muslim organizations including CAIR-Houston, Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA), Islamic Society of Greater Houston (ISGH), Muslim American Society (MAS), and Muslim Ummah of North America (MUNA). 

CAIR Houston Director of Operations William White said “The authoritarian Islamophobia demonstrated by the government in these states and across India is the same across the globe: collective punishment of innocent civilians as a means of on those that partake in public protest. The additional hateful and derogatory comments by BJP politicians against the Prophet Mohamed (Peace be upon him) are repulsive and should be widely condemned.”  

He noted that recently, CAIR welcomed the response of the State Department to condemn comments made by officials in India’s ruling BJP insulting the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and called on everyone to urge their congressperson to pass the House Resolution Congresswoman Ilhan Omar’s (D-MN) House Resolution 1196, “Condemning human rights violations and violations of international religious freedom in India, including those targeting Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Dalits, Adivasis, and other religious and cultural minorities.”    

ISGH President Ayman Kabire said in a statement “We stand for justice. We stand for human rights. The egregious acts perpetrated against Indian Muslims and minorities need to stop. People of all walks of life should be condemning and working to highlight the plight of Indian Muslims.” 

Hanif Ismail President of ICNA Houston stated “The Islamic Circle Of North America, Houston Chapter, condemns the incidents and the actions taken by the Indian Government and the ruling party BJP, either in the form of blasphemy of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, or the prosecution of Muslims just because of their faith.”  

Muslim American Society Houston Chapter President Mohammad Awad in a statement.  

These insulting remarks by BJP politicians against the Prophet Mohamed (Peace be upon him) would lead to incitement of religious hatred and offend more than two billion Muslims around the world. We denounced the defamation of Islam for political gains, it as a “call for extremism, the spread of hatred and discord among followers of religions”. We are calling all people of faith to join us in rejecting such action by BJP politicians and let us all stay united against insulting all religions.  

President of IAMC Houston Shakeib Mashood “India is rapidly turning into a fascist state where minorities are facing humiliation and being harassed regularly. We call on the community to join our coalition protest and have your voices heard.”  

Aplatun Kawsher President of Muna Houston said in a statement “MUNA Houston chapter strongly condemned and denounced the recent denigration of Prophet Muhammad by an official of India’s ruling party, BJP. These cases of defamation are part of a growing spate of Islam in India and systematic practices against Indian Muslims.”  

BACKGROUNDER:  

India’s Islamophobic movement has also been growing in the U.S. over the past decade. 

SEE: Action Alert: Urge Congress to Support Resolution Condemning India’s Human Rights, Religious Freedom Violations   

CAIR Calls on Secretary of State Blinken to Press India to Prevent Possible Mosque Demolitions, Designate as Country of Particular Concern 

CAIR, CAIR-Houston Defend Journalist Threatened for Criticizing Violent Rhetoric Aimed at Kashmiri Muslims 

CAIR on AIR: Islamophobia, Hindutva, and Censorship with Prof. Khaled Beydoun 

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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