Hate tweets during pandemic; CPM condemns communal targeting of Muslims

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) strongly condemned the communal targeting of India’s largest religious minority – the Muslims – that is increasingly taking place during the current battle against the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Nasty abuses, social media postings dutifully relayed by the trolls of the ruling party supporters are simply not acceptable. They violate basic constitutional provisions. Such crimes must be proceeded against and punished in accordance with the law,” a statement issued by Polit Bureau of the CPIM reads.

“This communal hate campaign under the patronage of the ruling party at the Centre is putting the livelihood of millions of Indians, working and living abroad, at risk,” CPIM PB raised their concerns.

Social media in Arab countries were on fire against Islamophobic tweets by some Gulf-based non-resident Indians and twitter handles run by BJP IT cell. Hindu nationalist twitter handles targeted Muslims and blamed Tablighi Jamaat for spreading the coronavirus pandemic. 

Members of Arab royal families along with journalists and intellectuals joined Twitterati to vent anger against Islamophobic and hostile comments against Indian Muslims. 

CPIM demanded the central government to immediately invoke the provisions of the Disaster Management Act and take action against people, including political leaders and others holding high offices, “who disrupt the united fight of all Indians against the pandemic by spreading venomous communal hatred.”

“The BJP central government must ensure that the fundamental right to life and liberty of all Indians irrespective of their religion, caste, gender, or disability cannot and must not be allowed to be violated,” the statement reads.

“Instead of acting against such people, the law seems to be targeting the minorities and proceeding against them,” it said.

“This is unacceptable. The law must be invoked to stringently punish such criminals,” CPIM PB demanded.