The history of human civilisation is marred by episodes of conquest, cultural erasure, and religious persecution. Among the groups that have faced centuries of oppression are Hindus and Jews, whose resilience in the face of systemic violence and marginalisation speaks to both their endurance and the persistent challenges they face. Recent events, such as the tragic terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, on April 22, 2025, where 26 people, predominantly Hindu tourists, were killed, have reignited discussions about targeted violence against religious communities. Jewish people were abducted and many of them are feared to be killed by the Islamist hard liners in Gaza & killings of two Jewish people in New York on 22nd May-2025 , the broader narrative of persecution against these groups, alongside others like the Maya, Inca, Egyptians, Romans, Greeks, Africans, Native Americans and Asian, underscores a troubling pattern of cultural destruction driven by religious ambitions. Here is my attempt to explores these historical and contemporary dynamics, examining the impact of Christian and Islamic imposition on native cultures and the ongoing struggles for identity and survival of the same.
Historical Context: A Legacy of Cultural Erasure
The histories of Hindus and Jews are intertwined with cycles of oppression that stretch back centuries. Hindus, whose civilisation in the Indian subcontinent dates back over thousands of years (5000 years of documented), faced waves of invasions that reshaped their cultural and religious landscape. From the 8th century onward, Islamic invasions into India, beginning with the conquest of Sindh in 712 CE, brought destruction to Mandirs, libraries, and entire cities. Some estimates, though suggest millions of Hindus were killed or displaced over centuries of Islamic rule, with iconic centers like the Somnath Temple and Nalanda & Takshashila University razed by invaders such as Mahmud of Ghazni and Alauddin Khilji. These acts were not military but aimed at imposing Islamic governance and erasing Hindu cultural markers, from temples to traditional practices and that’s evident from memoirs from their times or their Arab counterparts.
Similarly, Jews have endured millennia of persecution, from the Babylonian Exile to the Roman destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE, followed by centuries of Christian and Islamic persecution. In medieval Europe, Jews faced pogroms, forced conversions, and expulsions under Christian rulers, while in the Islamic world, they often lived as Dhimmis(second-class citizens subject to special taxes and restrictions). The Holocaust, orchestrated by Nazi Germany, remains the most horrific example, with six million Jews systematically murdered(though the number is contested by many). Yet, as some social media voices note, the genocide of Jews prompted apologies and reparations from Germany, while the historical massacres of Hindus have rarely been acknowledged by contemporary Islamic, Christian Clerics, Ideologues, or Community as a whole or part thereof, successor states or global institutions and intellectual and scholarly fraternity for that matter.
Beyond Hindus and Jews, other cultures have suffered similar fates. The Maya and Inca civilisations(those with similar ethos and cultural practices as Hindus) of Latin America were decimated by Spanish conquistadors in the 16th century, who imposed Christianity and did ethnic cleansing of priest class, destroyed indigenous temples, codices, and traditions. The transatlantic slave trade and colonial exploitation erased countless African cultural practices, while Native American tribes in North America faced near annihilation through disease, warfare, and forced assimilation under European settlers( the famous African say- They gave us Bible in one hand and took everything from us). Ancient Egyptian, Greek, and Roman pagan traditions were similarly suppressed by the spread of Christianity, which often reframed indigenous deities as demonic or heretical. These patterns reflect a broader trend: dominant religious powers, particularly Christian and Islamic empires, have historically sought to homogenise diverse cultures under a singular religious framework, at the cost of native identities, ethos, cultures, food, beliefs etc.
The Pahalgam Attack: A Modern Echo of Historical Violence
The April 22, 2025, terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, is a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities religious communities face today. Gunmen, identified by Indian authorities as members of The Resistance Front (TRF), an offshoot of the Pakistan-based Islamic terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba, opened fire in Baisaran meadow, killing 25 Indian hindu tourists and one Hindu Nepali citizen. Survivors reported that the attackers specifically targeted Hindu men, asking victims their religion before shooting. This deliberate targeting has fuelled outrage across India, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowing to pursue the perpetrators “to the ends of the Earth.” The attack, the deadliest in the Kashmir Valley since the 2019 Pulwama bombing, prompted India’s “Operation Sindoor” on May 7, 2025, a series of missile strikes on terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
The Pahalgam massacre is not an isolated incident but part of a longer history of violence in Kashmir, where tensions over the region’s status have fuelled conflict since India’s partition in 1947. The revocation of Jammu and Kashmir’s semi-autonomous status in 2019 heightened these tensions, with groups like TRF opposing India’s control and targeting Hindu civilians and security forces. Kashmir has earlier seen Hindu genocide and exodus in early ninties when the Islamist has declared Hindus to leave their wives and daughters behind and leave the valley, thousands of Hindus killed and remaining fled Kashmir to take refuge in other parts of the country. Similar conditions prevailing in Bangladesh where Hindus are oppressed and killed. Hindu women are raped, abused and killed each day by Muslims.
Jewish Killings in Washington DC: Clarifying the Narrative
Two Israel embassy staffer soon to-be married were shot dead by Gunman shouting free Palestine in Washington DC while they were leaving the Jewish museum on 22nd May. However, antisemitic violence remains a global concern. In recent years, Jewish communities in the United States have faced rising hate crimes, from synagogue shootings in Pittsburgh (2018) and Poway (2019) to street attacks in New York City. These incidents reflect a broader resurgence of antisemitism, often fuelled by extremist ideologies.
Cultural Destruction and the Role of Religious Expansion
The historical oppression of Hindus, Jews, and other groups is often tied to the missionary zeal of Christianity and the jihadist campaigns of Islam, which sought to replace indigenous practices with their own systems of belief and governance. In India, Christian missionaries, particularly during British colonial rule, targeted marginalised communities for conversion, often portraying Hindu traditions as backward. While less violent than Islamic conquests, these efforts disrupted traditional social structures and contributed to cultural alienation. Similarly, Islamic rule in India and beyond enforced practices like jizya (a tax on non-Muslims) and destroyed cultural artifacts, from Hindu temples to Buddhist stupas and it being done to date in Buddha statues of Bamiyan in Afghanistan by Islamist hardliners.
Globally, the imposition of Abrahamic faiths often erased indigenous cuisines, clothing, and ways of life. In Latin America, the Maya and Inca lost much of their culinary heritage as European crops and diets were introduced. In Africa, colonial powers disrupted tribal systems, replacing them with Christian missions that altered family structures and spiritual practices. Native American boarding schools in the U.S. and Canada forcibly separated children from their cultures, banning traditional languages and dress. These efforts were not merely religious but part of a broader colonial project to erase native identities in favour of a homogenised, Western-centric worldview.
Contemporary Challenges and the Path Forward
The Pahalgam attack and the broader history of religious persecution raise critical questions about how societies can address historical grievances while preventing future violence. In India, the government’s response to Pahalgam, including Operation Sindoor, has been praised by some for its decisiveness but criticised by others for risking escalation with Pakistan. Civil society groups have called for a judicial inquiry into the attack, emphasising the need for justice without communal retribution.
For Jewish communities, the global rise in antisemitism demands vigilance and international cooperation. Organisations like the Anti-Defamation League have advocated for stronger hate crime laws and community protections. Meanwhile, the struggles of other groups—such as the Yazidis in Iraq or the Hindus in Bangladesh-highlight the ongoing nature of religious and cultural persecution, often tied to state or extremist agendas.
Reclaiming and preserving cultural heritage is a vital step toward healing. In India, efforts to rebuild Mandirs and revive traditional practices reflect a broader Hindu cultural renaissance. Similarly, Jewish communities worldwide continue to strengthen their cultural identity through education and advocacy. For indigenous groups like the Maya and Native Americans, revitalisation movements are reclaiming languages and traditions, often in defiance of centuries of marginalisation.
Conclusion: A Call for Solidarity and Reflection
The histories of Hindus, Jews, and countless other groups reveal a shared struggle against forces that sought to erase their identities. The Pahalgam attack is a tragic reminder that such violence persists, driven by ideological extremism. Be it the Jews couple killed at Washington DC on 22nd May, or the abduction of Israel nationals by Islamists from Gaza, the broader threat of antisemitism remains real. As the world grapples with these challenges, solidarity among persecuted communities— whether Hindu, Jewish, Maya, or Native American—offers a path toward mutual support and resilience.
Global leaders must prioritise de-escalation, justice, and cultural preservation over divisive rhetoric. The pain of historical genocides and modern atrocities demands not just remembrance but action: protecting vulnerable communities, fostering interfaith dialogue, and confronting extremism in all its forms. It’s time to revise the religious texts responsible for hatred towards other human being or practising other faiths. Texts irrelevant with regards to civil society must be erased and banned from preaching and practice. This need a collective consciousness and efforts from the Muslim society itself, the Arab Muslim world can hugely contribute to this, the reforms seen of late from Saudi Arabia are welcoming, small but beginning of a new chapter to Islamic history. Only through collective effort can we honor the past and safeguard the future for all cultures under threat
