Has India’s democracy failed its Muslims? Jailed scholar triggers debate
Summary
A prison interview with Muslim scholar Sharjeel Imam has revived debate in India about Muslims’ political rights and the treatment of activists under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government. Imam, arrested after protests against a citizenship law, and other defendants remain jailed without trial over the 2020 Delhi riots, while rights groups criticize their continued detention.Key Facts
- India’s Muslim population is about 200 million, or roughly 14 percent of the country’s population, according to the article.
- Imam gave an interview to the Indian news website The Quint from prison on September 29.
- He criticized India’s constitutional structure and secularism, and argued that Muslims have little political representation.
- India passed the Citizenship Amendment Act in 2019, offering an expedited route to citizenship for non-Muslim refugees from neighboring countries.
- The law prompted nationwide protests, including a long-running sit-in near Shaheen Bagh in New Delhi.
- Imam helped organize the Shaheen Bagh protest and was arrested in January 2020 over speeches made during the protests.
- Imam and other Muslim activists were charged in connection with the 2020 Delhi riots, despite Imam being in custody when the violence occurred.
- The article says Imam, Umar Khalid, and other defendants remain jailed without trial and have repeatedly been denied bail.
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