Protect citizens amid rising intolerance: US to Indian government

Responding to questions on reports of alleged violence against people eating beef and assault on two Muslim women carrying buffalo meat in Madhya Pradesh, State Department Spokesman John Kirby said, “We stand in solidarity with the people and government of India in supporting exercise of freedom of religion and expression and in confronting all forms of intolerance.” 

“We’re obviously concerned by reports of rising intolerance and violence...As we do in countries facing such problems around the world, we urge the government to do everything in its power to protect citizens and to hold the perpetrators accountable,” he said. 

Kirby said the US looks forward to continuing to work with the Indian people to realise their tolerant-inclusive vision, which is so deeply in the interests of both India and the United States. 

In an instance of cow vigilantism earlier this week, two Muslim women who were carrying buffalo meat were assaulted by people at a railway station in Mandsaur on suspicion that it was beef in the presence of police which arrested the duo. 

The incident came close on the heels of the attack on Dalit youths in Gujarat by cow vigilantes for skinning a dead cow.   

The US has expressed concern over the violence in Kashmir and called on ‘all sides’ to make efforts to find a peaceful solution to the issue as it wants to see the tensions de-escalated. 

“We encourage all sides to make efforts to find a peaceful solution to this,” State Department Spokesman John Kirby told reporters when asked about the ongoing violence in Kashmir. 

“We have obviously seen reports of the clashes between protesters and Indian forces in Kashmir. And we’re, of course, concerned by the violence, as you might expect we would be,” he said. 

Kirby said the US was in close touch with the Indian government over the issue. 

Protests broke out across Kashmir valley on July 9, a day after Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani was killed in an encounter with Indian security forces.