U.S. Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, a Somalian American lawmaker from Minnesota, has introduced an anti-India resolution in the U.S house of representatives condemning India for the alleged human rights violations, especially those targeting minorities such as (Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Dalits, Adivasis and other religious and cultural minorities). The resolution is supported by congresswoman Rashida Talib and Juan Vargas, who urges the U.S secretary of state to designate India as a “country of particular concern”, under the International Religious Freedom. The resolution urges the Biden Administration to implement the recommendations given by the US Commission on International Religious Freedom which has also called for designating India as a ‘Country of particular concern for three consecutive years now.
The bill was introduced in the House of Representatives, it has been now sent to the House of Foreign Affairs Committee for necessary action. During many Congressional hearings related to India, Omar has never hesitated in raising her voice against India but never once has raised her voice against gross Human Rights violations in Pakistan. Omar has also been in light of the recent criticism she received after paying a visit to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK). India criticized this move as a reflection of “her narrow-minded politics”. A spokesperson from the Ministry of External Affairs, Arindam Bagchi said “If such a politician wishes to practice her narrow-minded politics at home, that may be her business. But violating our territorial integrity and sovereignty in its pursuit makes it ours. This visit is condemnable.”
It is difficult for this resolution to see the light of the day, given the intentions behind this resolution are directly connected to her recent visit to Pakistan and her meeting with politicians, the former Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan, the President Sultan Mahmood Chaudhry, and the current Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif to discuss alleged violations of human rights in J&K. The news about the resolution first came to light when a senior official from Imran Khan’s party reported it in advance. As far as a response from the U.S government, they have distanced themselves from Ilhan Oman and claimed that her visit to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir was unofficial.
Who is Ilhan Omar??
The origins of Omar, who is from Somalia have been a matter of a bit of controversy. As she arrived in the US at the age of 12 in 1995 as a refugee fleeing Somalia’s civil war. She became a citizen five years later, at the age of 17. She won the election to become the first Somali – American in the U.S Congress. There were few claims that she had married her biological brother to bypass the U.S immigration process. But no confirmation regarding this has ever been made. She very quickly became a celebrity among her fraternity and in the Muslim world. Omar is mostly seen as someone fulfilling tasks for Islamist lobbyists, whose sole desire is to push radical Islam in modern societies. It is alleged against Omar that she has ties with a radical Islamic organization, a western branch of the Jamaat-e-Islam, a terror group that is banned in India.
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She also has ties with Helping Hand for Relief and Development (HHRD) who also share close relations with Lashkar-e-Taliban in Pakistan. She also has publicly shown her support for the terrorist group Hamas. She has shown her support for the “one-nation” solution to the Israel – Palestine conflict, meaning ‘declining or refusing Israelis to exit as a country’. Her support for other ‘left-liberal’ circles both in the west as well as in India. For years now she has indulged in propagating anti-India narratives, targeting the Narendra Modi government, and she keeps pushing the Biden administration to further her propaganda. She came under intense scrutiny when last year, at a U.S House of Foreign Affairs Committee Hearing. On South Asian Human Rights, she attacked Indian Journalist Aarti Tikoo Singh, who had testified before the U.S Congress on the Kashmiri Hindu Genocide in the Kashmir valley during the 1990s.
There have been many instances of Human Rights Violations all around the world, but Ilhan Omar only points out India in every instance. The internal matter of the country should be sought within the country. When India as a country never interferes in the internal matter of other nations, then why should India come under scrutiny while resolving its issues. India has always taken a stance whenever any violations have occurred, India is the first nation to extend its helping hand to other nations. It has maintained its friendly ties with the other nations time and again. It is only fair that the internal matters of the nation are left with them to resolve.
