VHP reports minority ‘atrocities’ to UN General Assembly president ahead of India visit
New Delhi: A day ahead of United Nations General Assembly President Annalena Beerbok’s visit to India, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) has written to her, pointing out what it called “continued atrocities” against religious minorities in Pakistan and Bangladesh, seeking urgent intervention from the United Nations.In an April 27 letter, VHP International President Alok Kumar cited examples of forced conversions, violence and systemic discrimination against Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists and Christians. “The scale and persistence of these serious human rights violations demonstrate systemic discrimination,” he wrote, urging the United Nations to take “affirmative action to protect the lives, rights, dignity and property of minorities.”The letter cited findings by United Nations human rights experts, saying that in Pakistan, “about 75 percent of women and girls forcibly converted to Islam through marriage are Hindus and 25 percent are Christians,” with “nearly 80 percent of the incidents” occurring in Sindh province. “Adolescent girls aged 14 to 18 are particularly targeted…Women and girls…face coercion…abuse and severe trauma,” the report states. It added that authorities often “dismissed complaints… failed to investigate or prosecute… or neglected to properly assess the victim’s age”.Regarding Bangladesh, the VHP cited a report submitted to the United Nations Human Rights Council as saying that “2,010 incidents of communal violence were recorded between August 4 and 20, 2024 alone” “mainly against Hindus”. The letter also cited concerns over the safety of indigenous communities in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.Kumar said post-Partition guarantees of equal rights for minorities had “unfortunately… been reversed” and claimed persecution continued. The VHP seeks an independent international investigation, victim protection mechanisms and accountability under international law.Copies have been sent to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.
