On Wednesday (December 1), Pakistani-origin senator Mehreen Faruqi made Hinduphobic remarks during her speech in the Australian senate. Faruqi is a member of the Australian Greens party.
During her speech, she remarked, “When Donald Trump was US President, Prime Minister Scott Morrison was rightly criticised for his cosy friendship with this white nationalist leader, who was impeached twice and tried to win an election.” While labelling PM Modi as a ‘far-right leader of India’, the senator from New South Wales (NSW) said, “Dangerous nationalism and authoritarianism with strong anti-Muslim and anti-Sikh sentiments has skyrocketed in India under Modi.”
She insinuated, “This escalating nationalism had direct impacts for the Indian diaspora in Australia too as racism and hatred threatens communities who belong to minorities and who have been critical of Modi’s agenda.” The Pakistani-origin senator alleged that community members had shared how the supposed nationalistic agenda of PM Modi was being weaponised against minority groups on Facebook and WhatsApp. “This includes labelling the target groups as terrorist sympathisers, rapists, criminals, and vermin.”
In the Senate today, I urged members of the Government and the PM to condemn far-right nationalist politics and call out the administration of Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India. pic.twitter.com/keo5NS9GPj
— Mehreen Faruqi (@MehreenFaruqi) December 1, 2021
Mehreen Faruqi went on to claim that the nationalist agenda of PM Modi, as peddled on social media, was the main reason for an attack on four Sikh men at Harris Park in Sydney. “The impact of this hateful politics on many in our community is extremely concerning. It’s a direct result of the importation of the nationalist politics of Modi and the Australian government’s refusal to call it out.” She also appealed to other Senate members to condemn the supposed authoritarian regime of PM Modi and his nationalist agenda.
Activists criticise the Hindu hatred of the Australian Greens party
While speaking about the matter, a Sydney-based Hindu activist Ravi Shankar Dhankar told The Australia Today that the Greens Senator attempted to downplay her hate against Jews and Hindus. “Mehreen Faruqi is part of that elaborate Greens plan which attacks Hindus and Jews for resisting their historical persecution,” he emphasised.
According to academic and yoga practitioner Sarah Gates, Greens have been leading a nefarious campaign to silence Hindus who are trying to raise their voice against persecution. “Greens party and its Mehreen Faruqi like leaders are fuelling hatred towards people who try to raise voice against persecution of Hindus in Kashmir, Pakistan, Bangladesh and anywhere else in the world.” Gates also debunked the lie peddled by the Pakistani-origin senator about the attack on four Sikh men.
“What happened in Sydney has no place in Australian society however Senator Mehreen Faruqi purposely chose to tell the half-truth. Three Sikh youths and one Hindu youth faced court for street fights, however, Mehreen Faruqi is doxing whole Hindu community for that incident. If this is not blatant Hinduphobia what is?” she inquired.
