On Monday, the chairperson of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), Nadine Maenza, has expressed concern over attacks on Muslims in Tripura, which took place last week and urged the Union government to “stop violence against religious communities.”
The attacks against the Muslims took place during a rally taken out by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad on October 26 in North Tripura in protest against the attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh.
On Monday, USCIRF chairperson Nadine Maenza tweeted: “USCIRF is concerned about ongoing violence in #Tripura against #Muslims, which some regard as retaliation for attacks against #Hindus in #Bangladesh last month. The Indian government must stop violence against religious communities.”
The message from Maenza was amplified by the USCIRF from its Twitter handle: “USCIRF is particularly alarmed about reports from #Tripura of mobs desecrating mosques & torching properties of #Muslims. The Indian govt must bring those responsible for instigating & engaging in religious violence to justice & must prevent further attacks.”
The Hindu right wing organizations in India see an international conspiracy in such comments from the organisations like the USCIRF. The commission, however, had also expressed deep concern about the attacks on Durga Puja festivities and the communal violence in Bangladesh which took place the last month. It also acknowledged the measures taken by the Sheikh Hasina government in Bangladesh to crack down on those responsible for the violence. The Modi government, too, had acknowledged these measures, noting publicly soon after the first incidents were reported that the Bangladesh government was taking action in these cases.
Under the Hasina government, nearly 600 arrests have been made and the Prime Minister herself took the lead in raising voice against the attacks.
On the other hand, while the Indian government has received flak for not being more vocal on the violence against Hindus in Bangladesh, officials maintained that since Dhaka was taking action there was no reason why India should be issuing public statements and making things difficult for the Hasina government.