Justice For All Condemns India’s Eid al-Fitr Restrictions Targeting Muslims

April 3, 2025 — Justice For All’s Save India From Fascism campaign strongly condemns the discriminatory restrictions imposed on Muslims across India during this year’s Eid al-Fitr celebrations — one of the holiest festivals in Islam.

In multiple BJP-ruled states, Muslims were subjected to unprecedented limitations, including being barred from offering prayers in public spaces and, in some cases, even on private rooftops. In Uttar Pradesh, police were deployed to prevent congregational prayers, while in Haryana, Eid was removed from the official list of gazetted holidays — forcing Muslim employees to apply for personal leave to observe their religious duty.

These targeted actions have sparked outrage among civil society, with leading voices like former presidential advisor S.N. Sahu calling the moves a “direct assault on the Indian Constitution and its secular values.” No similar restrictions were reported for Hindu festivals, pointing to a clear double standard in the application of law.

Justice For All’s Response

Justice For All has submitted an official memorandum to the U.S. State Department’s Office of International Religious Freedom, urging them to address these discriminatory practices in their bilateral religious freedom discussions with India. We are also calling for these actions to be highlighted in the upcoming IRF Annual Report and Country of Particular Concern recommendations.

“These repeated acts of institutionalized Islamophobia are not isolated,” said Zahir Adil, Program Director for Save India From Fascism. “They are part of a broader campaign to marginalize India’s nearly 200 million Muslims and to erode the pluralistic foundation of Indian democracy.”

Take Action

We urge our supporters and human rights defenders around the world to:

Contact your elected officials and urge them to speak out about religious discrimination in India.

Share this announcement and amplify the voices of those facing persecution.

Support our advocacy by donating to Justice For All’s campaigns fighting for religious freedom and equality.

Justice For All remains committed to defending the rights of religious minorities in India and around the world. We will continue to expose and oppose any attempt to normalize fascism, bigotry, or religious apartheid.

For media inquiries or to get involved, please contact us at info@justiceforall.org.