Islamophobia Day: Kerala CM calls for fight against hatred, bigotry

PTI, Mar 15, 2023, 2:09 PM IST

On the occasion of International Day to Combat Islamophobia, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan called for a united fight against the darkness of hatred and bigotry.

The United Nations General Assembly had adopted a resolution sponsored by 60 member states of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), which designated March 15 as the International Day to Combat Islamophobia.

In a tweet on Wednesday, the Chief Minister said: ”The UN’s International Day to Combat #Islamophobia is a solid call to action, reminding us of the disturbing rise of intolerance against Muslims and hate crimes worldwide.” ”We must unite and ignite a flame of compassion and empathy to illuminate the darkness of hatred and bigotry,” Vijayan said. The document stresses that terrorism and violent extremism cannot and should not be associated with any religion, nationality, civilisation, or ethnic group.

It calls for a global dialogue on the promotion of a culture of tolerance and peace, based on respect for human rights and the diversity of religions and beliefs.