To:

The Honorable António Guterres

Secretary General

The United Nations

New York, NY 10017

Dear Mr. Secretary General,

Muslim girls in India are facing an urgent crisis that threatens their right to education and freedom of religion. They are being forced to choose between attending school and practicing their faith — a blatant violation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the UN Charter, and the Indian Constitution.

This ban on Muslim girls wearing hijabs in schools is part of a larger, troubling pattern of discrimination and violence against Muslim women in India. Harmful apps that publicly shame Muslim women leaders and activists highlight a disturbing rise in hostility and harassment.

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has enacted laws targeting Muslims, while affiliated groups like the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) use vigilante tactics to intimidate and assault peaceful protesters, often with tacit support from local authorities and courts.

A recent example occurred in Karnataka, where Muslim girls were banned from school for wearing headscarves. Those who defied the ban were attacked by RSS militias, with police failing to protect them.

This pattern of repression echoes the discriminatory citizenship laws passed in 2020, which sparked violent attacks against Muslim protesters, resulting in tragic loss of life.

With the Indian judicial system largely unable to protect minorities, we call on the United Nations to step in and defend the rights of Muslims and other vulnerable groups in India.

The situation is so severe that international media and genocide experts are warning of an escalating crisis. In late 2021, a Hindu religious group openly threatened to replicate the Rohingya genocide in India, even offering financial incentives for violent attacks against Muslims. These calls for violence were broadcast live and documented.

The UN has recognized sexual violence as a key tactic in the Rohingya genocide — a horrific pattern now mirrored in the hateful rhetoric and threats against Muslim women in India.