WASHINGTON, United States: United States Congresswoman Ilhan Omar has said that India has reached the "eighth stage of genocide," citing reports on the treatment of religious minorities in the country, particularly Muslims, Christians, and Dalits under the Bharatiya Janata Party government.
Omar made the remarks at a public event titled "Community Resistance to Hate and Extremism," saying: "Reports coming out of India place it at the 8th stage of genocide. It's really important for us to continue to raise the alarm." UN News
Speaking on issues concerning Indian Muslims, she said minorities, particularly Muslims, Christians, and Dalits, are being targeted by the BJP administration and raised concerns about rising discrimination and human rights conditions in the country. Business Standard
Omar, a Democratic Party member and one of the most prominent Muslim voices in the United States Congress, said her concerns were not limited to the actions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government alone. She described the situation as having evolved into a broader "systemic" and "societal" issue, going beyond what she characterised as the "havoc" caused by the current administration. UN News
What is the ' eighth stage of genocide '?
The "eighth stage" refers to the 10-stage genocide model developed by Professor Gregory Stanton, the founder of Genocide Watch. Stage eight is defined as the persecution of a community, in which a targeted group is identified and separated out based on their ethnic, racial, or religious identity and subjected to systematic mistreatment. The two remaining stages in the model are extermination and denial.
