India calls out UN's 'selectivity' in condemning violence against non-Abrahamic religions

India on Wednesday spoke against the selective condemnation by UN member states against the attacks on religious minorities around the world. Indian diplomat Ashish Sharma at the 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) asserted that violence against other non-Abrahamic religions like Hinduism, Buddhism, and Sikhism should be equally called out. Sharma added that 'selectivity' can never help or foster the efforts towards global peace. 

READ: United Nations To Offer All Support To Libya In Holding Election Within 18 Months

'Why is this selectivity?'

Sharma during his address at the United Nations was speaking on the issue of "Culture of Peace". The First Secretary asked "Why is this selectivity?. He also spoke about the number of followers in Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism and requested the member states to include these religions along with the earlier list of the three Abrahamic religions. 

"Culture of peace cannot be only for Abrahamic religions. And as long as such selectivity exists, the world can never truly foster a culture of peace." he said

Ashish Sharma also brought up examples where other religions were targeted by extremists in Afghanistan. Slamming the UNGA member states for refusing to condemn the attack on other religions, the First Secretary said:

"The shattering of the iconic Bamyan Buddha by fundamentalists, the terrorist bombing of the Sikh Gurudwara in Afghanistan where 25 Sikh worshipers were killed and the destruction of Hindu and Buddhist temples and minority cleansing of these religions by countries, calls for condemning such acts against these religions also. But the current Member States refuse to speak of these religions in the same breath as the first three "Abrahamic" religions."

READ | United Nations: Pandemic To Fan Surge In Humanitarian Needs In 2021

Further speaking on India's historic traditions, Sharma spoke about how India is home to the major religions of the world which have their roots in the country.

"India is not just the birthplace of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism, but is also the land where the teachings of Islam, Judaism, Christianity and Zoroastrianism have taken strong root and where the Sufi tradition of Islam has flourished. Today, every one of the world's major religions has a home in India. The great Indian philosopher, Swami Vivekananda said, "We (India) believe not only in universal toleration but accept all religions as true".

In addition, he also spoke about India's role in aiding persecuted people from other countries and playing an important part in their development. 

"For millennia, India has provided shelter to waves of those persecuted in foreign lands, and allowed them to thrive in India. And our tradition of inter-culture dialogue goes right to the time when ancient Indian thinkers had a flourishing dialogue with the ancient Greeks. India is not just a culture, but a civilization in itself," First Secretary said.

India's response comes after multiple resolutions by the UN have strongly condemned acts of violence against Abrahamic religions by terming them as Islamophobia, anti-Semitism and Christianophobia. However, there is a general feeling that violence against other religious minorities is not condemned by the member states. 

READ: TS Tirumurti Highlights India's 'steadfast Support' For Palestinian Cause At UNGA

(With ANI Inputs)