Al-Azhar Observatory. Ahram.
It said the “Pahalgam attack” has been used as a pretext by far-right groups to fuel an unprecedented wave of hate speech and violence against the Muslim minority.
Citing a report by the Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR) released in September 2025, the Observatory said 148 hate crimes were recorded in less than two weeks, targeting more than 300 Muslims across several states, particularly Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Maharashtra, amid what it described as “systematic ideological mobilization” by far-right groups.
The Observatory noted that the surge in hostility has extended beyond physical assaults to include coordinated media and musical campaigns calling for boycotts of Muslims, as well as growing restrictions on freedom of expression.
Among those targeted was academic and writer Dr Ali Khan Mahmudabad, who was detained over his political views before being released on bail.
Al-Azhar condemned the developments as a flagrant violation of international human rights conventions and warned that rhetoric inciting hatred undermines peaceful coexistence.
It urged an immediate end to religious and media incitement and called for respect for citizenship and equality, stressing that legitimizing violence on religious grounds threatens India’s social cohesion and global reputation, while eroding the pluralism and tolerance long associated with modern India.
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