Oxford, UK — November 15, 2024 – The Oxford Hindu Society (HumSoc) has expressed strong condemnation over the Oxford Union’s decision to invite speakers allegedly involved in anti-Hindu rhetoric and linked to organizations associated with Hindu genocide and terrorism. The society’s letter to the Oxford Union highlights concerns about platforming individuals they claim promote hatred and violence against Hindu communities.
The controversy stems from a debate scheduled on November 14, 2024, where the Oxford Union invited Ms. Naz Shah, MP, Mr. Khwaja Asif, Mr. Zafar Khan of the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), and Mr. Muzzamil Ayyub Thakur of the Justice Foundation. The Hindu Society alleges that both Mr. Khan and Mr. Thakur represent organizations with a history of hostility toward Hindu minorities, particularly in the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir in India.
According to the Hindu Society, the JKLF has been linked to a series of violent incidents, including the 1984 kidnapping and murder of a Hindu diplomat in Birmingham and the 1989-90 exodus of Hindus from Kashmir due to targeted attacks. The Society claims that the Oxford Union’s decision to invite JKLF representatives is distressing to Hindu students who feel threatened by the presence of individuals associated with such actions.
Furthermore, Mr. Thakur, founder of the Justice Foundation, has allegedly been associated with espionage activities on behalf of Pakistan and is linked to Mercy Universal, a charity investigated by Scotland Yard, the Charity Commission of the UK, and the FBI. The charity has reportedly been linked to Hizbul Mujahideen, an internationally proscribed terror organization. Mr. Thakur himself faces charges under India’s Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for inciting public disorder.
Zafar Khan, another speaker in question, serves as the Chairman of JKLF’s Diplomatic Bureau. According to the Hindu Society, JKLF is responsible for “countless episodes of terror, horror, and death against Hindus.” The Society references former JKLF leader Farooq Ahmed Dar, known as Bitta Karate, who allegedly confessed on camera to killing 20 Kashmiri Hindus in the 1990s, further illustrating the group’s controversial history.
The letter calls upon the Oxford Union to reconsider the invitation, asserting that providing a platform to these individuals not only threatens the safety of Hindu students but also implicitly endorses hate-based ideologies. The Society urges the Union to reflect on the implications of supporting individuals associated with organizations that have been implicated in acts of violence and terrorism.
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On social media, the condemnation of the event has resonated across the Indian diaspora. Notably, an Indian student, Adarsh Mishra, reportedly spoke out during the debate to assert that the JKLF is a banned terrorist organization with a documented history of violence against Indian citizens, including Kashmiri Pandits. His intervention has been widely praised within the community for its courage in a challenging environment.
The incident has sparked a broader debate within the Indian diaspora about freedom of speech and the responsibility of academic institutions in selecting their speakers. Prominent voices, including members of the diaspora and public figures such as Sunanda Vashisht, Major Gaurav Arya, and Aarti Tikoo, have expressed their disapproval, calling for a no-confidence motion against the decision.
The Hindu Society’s letter underscores a plea for the Oxford Union to prioritize the safety and well-being of its student community and refrain from endorsing individuals associated with organizations accused of promoting religious hatred. As the debate continues, questions remain about the balance between freedom of speech and the potential harm of platforming individuals linked to controversial and violent ideologies.
