Fact-check: Was the case of Tabrez Ansari’s mob-attack raised at a UN convention?

A video clip with the claim that it is a United Nations conference is doing rounds on social media since the last few days. In this video, a representative can be heard speaking about the recent mob-lynching in Jharkhand where Tabrez Ansari was tied to a pole and forced to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’.

“Tabrez Ansari ke liye awaaz UNO tak pahunchgayi. India is getting defamed because of Gau Rakshaks in front of the whole World… Shame,” is the most common caption used to share the video.

It’s true

Alt News found that Tabrez Ansari’s case and mob-lynchings in India were indeed raised at the 7th Meeting of the 41st Regular Session held before the UN Human Rights Council. Paul Newmman Kumar Stanisclavas of the NGO Centre for Africa Development and Progress raised the issue. The complete video is posted on the official website of the United Nations Web TV. At 2:09:36 hours in the video, the relevant portion can be heard.

UN Human Rights Council is a United Nations body whose mission is to promote and protect human rights around the world and is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.

While addressing the session, Newmman said that India is a signatory to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights but in the last five years, mob-lynching against Muslim and Dalits in India have been on a rise.

His entire speech on the issue is as follows:

“In the last five years Muslims in India have seen a rise in hate crimes committed against their community. In the last five years, there have been lynching of Muslims and Dalits across India by fanatic Hindu mobs ostensibly for the protection of the holy cow. Since April 2017, at least 10 Muslims have been lynched in public in suspected hate crimes. The attacks have contributed to a growing sense of insecurity among Muslims and intensified religious tension. The recent trend is to make Muslims chant Jai Sri Ram. Ten days ago, 24-year-old Tabrez Ansari was beaten for hours until he died in the hands of the Hindu mob in the eastern state of Jharkhand for not chanting Jai Sri Ram. Recently, a Muslim teacher has attacked in a train for being Muslim. He was heckled to say Jai Sri Ram, when he refused he was beaten and forced to get off the train. Member of Parliament, Pratap Sarangi, of the ruling party, in his first speech in the Parliament, asked why people who refuse to chant Hindu slogans should be allowed to live in India. These fanatic Hindu mobs have moved around with apparent impunity. The Indian state has remained mute to the cries of the minorities.”

It is noteworthy that BJP MP Pratap Chandra Sarangi, in his maiden Parliament speech, did not say that people who refuse to chant Hindu slogans should not be allowed to live in India. His comment was on ‘Vande Mataram’ and not ‘Jai Shri Ram’ or any other Hindu slogans.

Newmman ended his speech by urging the UNHRC to intervene and requested India to follow the principles laid down in its Constitution.

It is, therefore, true that the issue of mob-lynchings, including the recent murder of Tabrez Ansari, was raised at the UN.