Ramesh Kumar Vankwani, a Hindu lawmaker from the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Pakistani PM Imran Khan’s own party, has urged Donald Trump to take back his words condemning Radical Islamic Terrorism. The US President had made the comment at the ‘Hody Modi’ event organized in Houston.
“I am deeply shocked by the news reports in which you tried to link terrorism with Islam, and the purpose of writing this letter is to record my protest in this regard,” Vankwani, the patron-in-chief of Pakistan Hindu Council, wrote in his letter to Mr. Trump.
He stated, “It is worth to note that all religions, either Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, Judaism or any other, forbid killing of innocent people, and urge strict punishment against culprits.” “Therefore, being Pakistani citizen, I believe that your statement is very painful for entire Pakistani nation,” he added.
“It is therefore my sincere request to kindly take your words back and play your neutral role to resolve all worldly conflicts peacefully without any bias or prejudice. Otherwise I am afraid that your statement would actually empower some extremist elements to carry on their agenda of hatred and violence against innocent people in the name of religion,” Vankwani concluded.
In recent times, there has been a spate of crimes against Hindus in Pakistan. Violence was unleashed against Hindus in Ghotki, Pakistan, after a school principal, who is a Hindu had made an alleged blasphemous remark. The angry mob attacked the SSD Dhaam Mandir and broke open shops in Jillani Market belonging to Suresh Kumar, Gopi Chand, Gurmukh Das and others in broad daylight. Later, the Muslim student who made the allegations confessed to having cooked up the entire incident of blasphemy.
Another Hindu studeni, a final year BDS student in the Bibi Asifa Dental College of Larkana, Pakistan was found dead in her room recently. Namrita Chandani was found lying down with a rope tied around her neck while her room was locked from inside and is believed to have been murdered. Two of her classmates were arrested in connection with the matter. Despite the fact that college authorities tried to pass off the matter as suicide, a Pakistani court refused to authorize a judicial inquiry into her death.
It is not really a secret that Pakistan treats its Hindu community as third class citizens. They live in constant fear of reprisal and attack. Under such circumstances, it’s not really a surprise that Vankwani made the remarks he did.
