US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar Says India Has Reached 'Eighth Stage of Genocide' Against Minorities
US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar has said that India has reached the eighth stage of genocide, citing reports on the large-scale targeting of Muslims, Christians, and Dalits. Indian officials have rejected the accusation. The remarks were made at a public event focused on community resistance to hate and extremism.
Photo Source: Collected
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. Human Rights Watch
The model gained international attention in the context of India after dozens of Hindu religious leaders and politicians gathered at a prominent pilgrimage site in Haridwar, where multiple speakers openly called for violence against the Muslim minority. One speaker was recorded saying: "Even if just 100 of us become soldiers and kill two million of them, we will be victorious." The videos went viral and sparked widespread outrage. Human Rights Watch
Following those events, Professor Stanton himself warned at a congressional briefing in the United States that "a genocide could very well happen in India," and placed the country at the eighth stage of his model, citing the persecution of Muslim communities. Human Rights Watch
Omar's Record on India
This is not the first time Omar has spoken out on minority rights in India. In June 2023, ahead of Prime Minister Modi's address to a joint session of the United States Congress, Omar released a public statement saying: "What's happening in India runs directly counter to our democratic values. Under Prime Minister Modi, the government has targeted and even adopted laws to explicitly discriminate against religious minorities. This includes the anti-Muslim citizenship law and a purge of Muslim citizens in the Indian state of Assam. It also includes the government rescinding the autonomy of the majority-Muslim region of Kashmir, shutting off their communication, and illegally detaining dissidents." Human Rights Watch
That same month, Omar introduced a resolution in Congress calling on the Secretary of State to designate India as a Country of Particular Concern under the International Religious Freedom Act, a designation recommended by the independent, bipartisan US Commission on International Religious Freedom for four years. The resolution sought to condemn human rights violations and violations of international religious freedom in India, including those targeting Muslims, Christians, Jews, Sikhs, Dalits and Adivasis. United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
India's Response
Indian officials have rejected Omar's latest accusations, citing population data and voter turnout figures as evidence against the claims. The Indian government has consistently dismissed characterizations of its domestic policies as discriminatory, maintaining that all citizens are equal under Indian law and that the country remains a pluralistic democracy, despite the reality. Al Jazeera
Indian government representatives and pro-government commentators have also pushed back sharply against Omar personally, with critics accusing her of relying on unverified reports and pursuing what they describe as an anti-India agenda.
Broader Context
India is home to approximately 200 million Muslims, making it one of the largest Muslim populations in the world. In recent years, international human rights organisations including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, have documented what they describe as a deteriorating environment for religious minorities in India, pointing to incidents of mob violence, discriminatory legislation, and the demolition of Muslim properties and places of worship.
The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom has placed India on its watch list for several consecutive years, citing concerns about religious freedom conditions under the current government. The Indian government has rejected these designations as politically motivated and based on a misunderstanding of India's constitutional framework.
Omar's remarks have drawn strong reactions on both sides. Rights advocates and Muslim community groups in the United States have praised her for speaking out. At the same time, Indian government officials, BJP representatives, and several commentators have criticized the congresswoman for what they say is an inaccurate and damaging portrayal of the world's largest democracy.
The remarks come at a time of heightened scrutiny of India's treatment of religious minorities both domestically and on the international stage.