PAKISTAN on Monday (27) summoned India's charge d'affaires to the ministry of foreign affairs and conveyed its concern over the alleged hate speeches against religious minorities.
A ‘Dharma Sansad' or religious conference was held at Ved Niketan Dham in Haridwar in northern India from December 17-20. It was organised by Yati Narasimhanand Giri of the Juna Akhada, who is already under police scanner for making hate speeches and inciting violence against Muslims.
At the event, several speakers allegedly made inflammatory and provocative speeches, calling for the killing of people from the minority community.
Pakistan conveyed to the Indian side that the reported hate speeches were viewed with grave concern by the civil society.
According to a statement by the Pakistan foreign office, it was impressed upon India that it was “highly reprehensible” that “neither the organisers have expressed any regret nor the Indian government has condemned or taken any action against them”.
The foreign office said the continued incidents of violence against Muslims highlighted a “worsening trend of Islamophobia” and presented a “grim picture about the fate of Muslims in India”.
India is expected to investigate these hate speeches and “incidents of widespread violence” against the minorities, the foreign office said.
Several opposition politicians in India, including those from the Congress and the Trinamool Congress, have condemned what they said was a "hate speech conclave" held in Haridwar.
An FIR has been lodged against Jitendra Narayan Tyagi and others.
Tyagi, who changed his name from Waseem Rizvi after converting to Hinduism earlier this month, and other speakers at last week's event have been accused of making provocative speeches and some video clips of it are doing the rounds on social media.
(PTI)
Moglai Bap and Mo Chara of Kneecap perform at Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm in Pilton, Somerset, Britain, June 28, 2025. REUTERS/Jaimi Joy
Police may probe anti-Israel comments at Glastonbury
BRITISH police said they were considering whether to launch an investigation after performers at Glastonbury Festival made anti-Israel comments during their shows.
"We are aware of the comments made by acts on the West Holts Stage at Glastonbury Festival this afternoon," Avon and Somerset Police, in western England, said on X late on Saturday (28).
Irish hip-hop group Kneecap and punk duo Bob Vylan made anti-Israeli chants in separate shows on the West Holts stage on Saturday. One of the members of Bob Vylan chanted "Death, death, to the IDF" in a reference to the Israel Defense Forces.
"Video evidence will be assessed by officers to determine whether any offences may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation," the police statement said.
The Israeli Embassy in Britain said it was "deeply disturbed by the inflammatory and hateful rhetoric expressed on stage at the Glastonbury Festival".
Prime minister Keir Starmer said earlier this month it was "not appropriate" for Kneecap to appear at Glastonbury.
The band's frontman Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh was charged with a terrorism offence last month for allegedly displaying a flag in support of Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah at a concert in November. He has denied the charge.
A British government minister said it was appalling that the anti-Israel chants had been made at Glastonbury, and that the festival's organisers and the BBC broadcaster - which is showing the event - had questions to answer.
Health secretary Wes Streeting said he was also appalled by violence committed by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.
"I'd also say to the Israeli Embassy, get your own house in order in terms of the conduct of your own citizens and the settlers in the West Bank," Streeting told Sky News.
"I wish they'd take the violence of their own citizens towards Palestinians more seriously," he said.
(Reuters)