Under the government of Narendra Modi, there has been a notable rise in hostility towards Muslims and Pakistanis in India, with well-documented instances of violence against minorities. Recent developments now suggest a growing anti-Iranian sentiment as well.
An Indian textbook publisher, QConnect, based in New Delhi, has been criticized for listing Imam Ayatollah Khomeini as the “Most Evil People of the World” in one of its educational textbooks.
Reports from Arab media have highlighted a controversy involving an Indian school textbook that allegedly contains derogatory content about Iran’s revered leader and founder, Ruhollah Khomeini. The textbook reportedly features an article titled “Most Evil People of the World,” which lists Khomeini alongside other historical figures perceived negatively.
The inclusion of Khomeini, the most respected figure in Iranian history after the 1979 Iranian Revolution, has sparked considerable backlash. His portrayal in the textbook has not only upset the local Muslim community in India but also led to calls for serious legal measures against the textbook’s publishers.
The contentious article doesn’t stop at Khomeini; it also compares various global leaders to notorious tyrants and oppressors, listing individuals such as Iraq’s former President Saddam Hussein, North Korea’s Kim Il Sung, Genghis Khan, and Japan’s former Emperor Hirohito. This comparison has further fueled the controversy and intensified the calls for action against the perpetuation of such content in educational materials.
