Controversial US Congresswoman, Ilhan Omar, has spoken out on Kashmir this time. In a tweet, she said, “We should be calling for an immediate restoration of communication; respect for human rights, democratic norms, and religious freedom; and de-escalation in Kashmir.”
https://twitter.com/IlhanMN/status/1166108548021067776?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Omar, who is accused of marrying her brother in immigration fraud, is a known antisemite. Considering her rather toxic ideology, it isn’t a surprise that she has taken a pro-Jihad stand on Kashmir.
With Omar’s tweet, the global nature of the Ummah has also come to the fore. While the Arabs have noticeably refrained from interfering with the matter in any manner, Pakistanis and Muslims from other regions of the world have been vocal about the issue. In India, too, a radical section of the community has been indulging in extremely problematic rhetoric.
While Omar’s tweet was measured, it has no doubt more to do with the fact that she has been in troubled waters recently in her country. She has been criticized by POTUS Donald trump himself and Republicans and Democrats alike have criticized her for her troubling conduct.
It is, perhaps, natural for the US Congresswoman to be unaware of the nitty-gritty of international politics. However, invariably, she aligns herself with radical Islamic ideology. If the Indian State had not enforced restrictions in Jammu & Kashmir, violence and bloodshed would have followed the monumental decision on August 5th. These restrictions were borne of necessity, not whims. By taking the stand she has, Omar is playing straight into the hands of Jihadists.
It only goes on to show that the Ummah, which has no doubt weakened with the Arabs refusing to side with Pakistan without taking other factors into consideration, is very much alive. There is indeed a transnational aspect to political Islam which makes radical Muslims prioritize other Muslims over their nation.
For instance, the Ummah was evident in the manner in which Kashmiri Muslims had no problem with Rohingyas residing in the Valley but wouldn’t permit Indians from other regions of the country to live there peacefully. The Azad Maidan riots in Mumbai in 2012 occurred in response to the treatment of Rohingyas in Assam. More recently, 5 Muslims thrashed an RSS karyakarta for celebrating the abrogation of Article 370.
There are many other ways in which the Global Ummah manifests itself. UK MP Liam Byrne was vocal in his criticism of the decision to abrogate Article 370. As it turned out, he was elected from a constituency that had a Muslim population of over 40%, a signification section of which is of Pakistani descent. In London, Pakistani and Khalistani goons attacked Indians celebrating Independence Day outside the Indian High Commission.
The Global Ummah also manifests itself in the BDS movement, which is directed against Israel for what its proponents call an ‘occupation’ of Palestine. The Israel-Palestine conflict is also the reason why significant sections of the Indian Muslim community oppose a friendly relation with Israel. This reflects on the choices made by Indian political parties which has consequently shaped India’s foreign policy. Unsurprisingly, Ilhan Omar and her comrade Rashida Tlaib, who has as much a chequered past like hers, are vocal proponents of the BDS movement.
One of the greatest achievements of Narendra Modi’s foreign policy as Prime Minister has been shrewdly navigating through the Global Ummah and isolating Pakistan globally. Despite the significant difficulty, India has succeeded in isolating Pakistan from even the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). However, the Global Ummah continues to manifest itself in other areas.