Let us resolve to fight systemic oppression of minorities: TN CM Stalin on International Day To Combat Islamophobia

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin. Picture, Twitter/@mkstalin)

Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin on Wednesday said that the history is replete with odious acts of discrimination and persecution of minorities that remain a blot on humankind.

Stalin made the comments on a day when the United Nations is observing March 15 as the International Day to Combat Islamophobia with the goal of taking "concrete action in the face of rising hatred, discrimination, and violence against Muslims".

The Tamil Nadu chief minister took to the microblogging site twitter and wrote: "History is replete with odious acts of discrimination & persecution of minorities that remain a blot on humankind.

On International Day to Combat #Islamophobia, let's resolve to fight the systemic oppression of minorities& protect their rights in line with constitutional values. (SIC)."

Last year in March, the United Nations adopted the resolution introduced by Pakistan and designated March 15 as ‘International Day to Combat Islamophobia'. The resolution was sponsored by 57 members of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and eight other countries, including China and Russia.

The then Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan had called it a ‘landmark' resolution and congratulated the Muslim Ummah as the UN had heard Pakistan's voice against the rising tide of Islamophobia. "Today UN has finally recognized the grave challenge confronting the world: of Islamophobia, respect for religious symbols & practices & of curtailing systematic hate speech & discrimination against Muslims. Next challenge is to ensure implementation of this landmark resolution", he tweeted.

Meanwhile, the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres affirmed that the move is "a call for action to stamp out anti-Muslim hatred".

"Discrimination diminishes us all. We must stand up against it," he said on Twitter. "Today & every day, we must counter the forces of division by reaffirming our common humanity."

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UN General Assembly President Csaba Korosi also noted that "Islamophobia is rooted in xenophobia, or the fear of strangers, which is reflected in discriminatory practices, travel bans, hate speech, bullying and targeting of other people" and urged countries to uphold the freedom of religion and take action against the hatred.

"All of us carry a responsibility to challenge Islamophobia or any similar phenomenon, to call out injustice and condemn discrimination based on religion or belief - or the lack of them," said Korosi.

Last week, the Turkish ambassador to the UN said that Islamophobia has become a "major threat to democracy" and desecration of the holy Quran and mosques is "on the rise".

Sedat Onal said, "Islamophobia is a real and a rising threat."