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Spread of Coronavirus in India Has Ignited Intolerance Toward Minority
Muslims

Niala Mohammad

   WASHINGTON - As the coronavirus outbreak spreads around the world and
   countries take various measures to contain it, the pandemic in India is
   causing an increase in incidents of COVID-19-related discrimination
   against the country's minority Muslims.

   India's Health Ministry announced last week that 30 percent of
   coronavirus cases were linked to a meeting in March of the Tablighi
   Jamaat, a Muslim missionary group, in Delhi. The country's Muslim
   minority population has since witnessed a string of attacks by Hindu
   extremists, accusing the Muslims of "corona jihad."

   Some India observers say linking the virus to the Muslim organization
   could result in more religious hatred in the country, warning that the
   effects of Islamophobic conspiracy theories could sow violence even
   after the pandemic.

   "Blaming Muslims for spreading coronavirus all over India is dangerous
   and discriminatory," said Muqtedar Khan, a professor of Islamic
   political philosophy at the University of Delaware and an India expert
   at the Center for Global Policy.

   "The lax attitude of the Indian government allowed the Tablighi Jamaat
   to continue their activities. There are laws in India; the point is
   that they are using them only against the Tablighis and they are not
   trying to go after any Hindu group at all," Khan said, adding that the
   nationalist media have also played a role in spreading accusations that
   Muslims were responsible for the spread of the virus throughout the
   country.

   As of Friday, India had recorded more than 13,800 cases of COVID-19,
   with at least 442 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University
   statistics. The country has been on an official lockdown to combat the
   virus since March 24. However, some officials blame the Tablighi Jamaat
   for the coronavirus' early spread.

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