AhlulBayt News Agency: In a sharply-worded open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other top officials, the Secretary-General of India’s Council of Islamic Scholars has voiced profound dismay over New Delhi’s stance toward the Islamic Republic of Iran and the police crackdown on citizens holding mourning ceremonies for the martyrdom of Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei.
Hojatoleslam Seyyed Kalb Jawad Naqvi addressed the detailed missive to Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, expressing deep concern and distress over the Indian government’s conduct toward Iran, as well as the heavy-handed police response to individuals who staged memorial services across the country.
The senior cleric strongly criticized New Delhi’s “irrational approach” to the American and Israeli assault on Iran, noting that the Indian government issued no message of condolence following the tragedy—a move he attributed to pressure from Washington.
The letter states that on February 28, 2026, the United States and the Israeli regime launched an attack on Iran even as negotiations were underway in Oman. In the assault, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, along with several members of his family, including his young grandchild, were martyred. The Indian government neither condemned the attack nor offered condolences, despite Iran having remained a longstanding and trusted friend of India, with the two nations sharing deep-rooted historical, cultural, and economic ties.
The Secretary-General of the Council of Islamic Scholars questioned why New Delhi stayed silent while Iran came under ferocious strikes targeting educational centers, hospitals, and residential buildings, yet swiftly condemned Iranian counterstrikes on Qatar and Dubai—operations he stressed were aimed only at military centers and firms tied to the US and Israel, not civilians.
Naqvi further highlighted the Israeli-American bombing of a school in the Iranian city of Minab, where more than 160 schoolgirls were martyred, as well as the bombardment of a hospital in Tehran, calling these egregious instances of inhuman acts. He described India’s silence in the face of these events as deeply regrettable.
The prominent religious scholar emphasized that such conduct raises serious questions about India’s foreign policy and risks damaging the country’s international standing.
He also pointed to incidents across Indian states, notably Uttar Pradesh and Kashmir, where police forces have dealt harshly with citizens who displayed images of Ayatollah Khamenei or held mourning gatherings. Individuals have reportedly been arrested, cases filed against them, and in some instances, the images were even desecrated.
Naqvi labeled these police actions unacceptable and demanded accountability for the officers responsible. He underscored that Ayatollah Khamenei is revered by Indian Muslims as a religious leader, not a political figure, rendering any restrictions on his images unwarranted.
The cleric further criticized authorities for preventing several commemorative events in various parts of the country, stating this has caused immense anguish among the people.
The letter also notes that despite the Indian government’s negative posture, Iran has permitted the passage of Indian ships through the Strait of Hormuz—a gesture reflecting Iran’s respect for the Indian people.
Urging the Indian government to take firm action against officers who harassed or detained citizens, Naqvi warned that any inaction would foster the perception that New Delhi is not genuinely committed to friendly relations with Tehran.
Elsewhere in the letter, he argued that India should reconsider its defense agreements with the United States and Israel, stating that these regimes are themselves beset with security vulnerabilities, and placing absolute trust in their defense systems is illogical.
Concluding the letter, Hojatoleslam Naqvi stressed that India must strengthen its ties with the Islamic Republic of Iran, emphasizing that robust bilateral relations serve the interests of both nations and can play a constructive role in fostering regional equilibrium.
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