Far-right politician Rasmus Paludan’s plans to burn copies of the Quran, the Holy Book of Islam, in Sweden has resulted in not just counter-protests but several cases of riots in many cities. Paludan, a Danish-Swedish politician, has a history of anti-Islam and anti-immigration politics.
At the same time these riots were happening in Sweden, a string of communal clashes were reported in India. They occurred during processions held during Hindu festivals. Some right-wing trolls on social media accounts played up the riots in Sweden, painting the Muslim community in general as intolerant and violent.
The Wire’s Sumedha Pal spoke to neuroscientist Sumaiya Shaikh about the parallels between anti-Islam sentiments in India and Sweden. They also discuss the narrative of hate, victimhood and the rise of far-right supremacy in Sweden and Europe.