The United States has asked India to do “everything in its power” to protect minorities, and bring to justice those responsible for the recent assault against two Muslim women for allegedly carrying cow beef .
“We’re obviously concerned by reports of rising intolerance and violence… We urge the government (of India) to do everything in its power to protect citizens and to hold the perpetrators accountable,” State Department Spokesman John Kirby said.
He was responding to a question at the daily press briefing with reporters, when a reporter raised the issue of beef cow protection vigilante violence against two women in Madhya Pradesh.
The two Indian women were also arrested on suspicion of selling cow meat, which is banned in the state – although a preliminary test found the meat they were carrying came from a buffalo.
The video of Police standing by as spectators while vigilante militants beat up women went viral, incurring a storm of condemnation.
Under nationalist Prime Minister Narendera Modi, extremist groups aligned to exclusionary Hindutva ideology, have been perpetrating attacks against minorities including Muslims. Last year, a mob lynched a Muslim man on suspicion that he ate cow meat. Many Hindus consider cows sacred and several states have banned slaughtering the animal.
Many Indian intellectuals and progressive political forces have condemned the unending spate of violence against Muslims at the hands of extremist groups but New Delhi has been unable to stop such attacks against minorities.
At the State Department, Spokesman Krby said: “We stand in solidarity with the people and Government of India in supporting exercise of freedom of religion and expression and in confronting all forms of intolerance.”
He said the U.S. looks forward to continuing to work with the Indian people to realize their tolerant-inclusive vision, which is so deeply in the interests of both India and the United States.
