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An Indian politician visiting Australia referred to as the Muslim conquest of India “the bloodiest chapter within the historical past of the world” and appeared to equate it with the Holocaust amid a controversial talking tour.
Bharatiya Janata celebration (BJP) MP Tejasvi Surya, in Australia to participate in a sequence of occasions, together with the Australia India Youth Dialogue (AIYD), informed an viewers in Parramatta on Monday that the historical past of Islam is “writ massive with bloodshed and violence.”
“I need to put one particular thought in all your minds, we all know the historical past of this explicit group from the time of its existence, and its historical past has been writ massive with bloodshed and violence.”
A video of his feedback surfaced on Twitter, the place he additionally inspired attendees to help an initiative calling for a ban on halal meals, including that the Hindu group should vote for events that “solely shield Hindus”.
The feedback got here at a non-public occasion organised after a public “interplay with college students” was purported to be held on the ECA School in Parramatta, in the identical constructing because the Swinburne College of Expertise.
That occasion was cancelled, after the Swinburne Islamic Society despatched a letter demanding the college intervene.
The ECA School didn’t reply to a request for remark. A spokesperson for Swinburne denied any involvement within the occasion’s cancellation, noting solely that the occasion was as a result of be held in the identical constructing because the college.
Surya may also be collaborating in AIYD, which is being held till 4 June, and consists of occasions in each Sydney and Melbourne. The occasions contain younger delegates from India and Australia partaking in discussions to strengthen ties between the 2 nations.
A consultant of the AIYD informed the Guardian the organisation doesn’t endorse any views of their delegates.
“We perceive the considerations which have been expressed however AIYD doesn’t endorse the views of any particular person delegate. That’s what makes the dialogue such a invaluable cultural trade and has carried out because it started in 2012.
“There are deep complexities within the vary of views held by individuals in each international locations. Recognising that these deep complexities exist will assist Australia and India perceive each other higher. That doesn’t suggest help for any explicit view. The AIYD is staunchly apolitical.”
Surya’s feedback come as Muslim scholar associations, spiritual teams, advocacy teams and lecturers from throughout the nation protest his arrival in Australia.
Junaid Ahmed, from the College of New South Wales, and a consultant of the coalition of 25 Muslim Pupil associations from round Australia protesting Surya’s go to, informed the Guardian that platforming Surya at numerous universities “normalises” his views. He additionally considers that the feedback constituted hate speech and promoted Islamophobia.
“As a scholar physique, and representatives of Muslim college students on campus, we imagine that permitting Surya to talk at our universities is a step towards encouraging and permitting hate speech and Islamophobia.
“Such hate speech promotes Islamophobia and facilitates violent extremism. Discrimination and hate speech shouldn’t be accepted at our universities or in our wider Australian societies.”
Surya, who’s a member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a far-right Hindutva organisation, has a historical past of robust statements concerning the connection between Islam and terrorism.
He tweeted in 2015 that “terror has no faith. However the terrorist undoubtedly has a faith and usually it’s Islam.”
Surya is because of communicate at an occasion in Melbourne on Saturday, and the Australian Alliance In opposition to Hate (AAAH) says a protest will probably be held exterior the venue to protest his views.
In a press release, the AAH says it’s organising the protest to “increase consciousness of escalating Hindutva hate speech, social discord and widespread group fears for his or her security and safety”.
Shanti Raman, spokesperson for Hindus For Human Rights, mentioned it was vital that totally different religion teams come collectively to oppose figures like Surya.
Over 5,600 individuals have signed a petition calling for Surya’s visa to be revoked, in addition to calling for universities together with Monash College and Macquarie College to revoke their partnership of AIYD.
A spokesperson for Monash mentioned the college was “not concerned within the number of delegates attending the 2022 occasion”, whereas a Macquarie College spokesperson mentioned its “partnership doesn’t suggest endorsement of the views of any delegate taking part in an AIYD occasion”.
A spokesperson for the College of Sydney, one other associate of AIYD, says it accepts that “AIYD doesn’t endorse explicit political beliefs, however relatively seeks to offer a platform for the varied and sophisticated vary of views that exist in each India and Australia”.
“As an elected member of Indian parliament, we contemplate the participation of this delegate displays this intention based mostly on our present understanding.”
The Islamic Council of Victoria has echoed requires AIYD to rethink their platforming of Surya, urging the dialogue to do “the accountable factor and withdraw its invitation to Tejasvi Surya”.
“The ICV doesn’t imagine that offering such a hateful determine with a outstanding platform is according to the AIYD’s intention of nurturing a various and equitable dialogue.”
Tejasvi Surya has been approached for remark.
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