"It went viral on the internet, but I have also never seen anything like the abuse. There was one comment that stuck out for me that just said: Thanks for the transplant, now go home.' For the MP, who, as parliamentary undersecretary of state for health innovation and safety, is one of two Muslims in government, such comments reflect the Islamophobic abuse that he says has got worse in recent decades."
"We now find ourselves in a space where, to be honest, I've got young children and I can't confidently say their lives, in terms of living in society on an equal footing, [are] better than what I was growing up. That's a really sad thing to see."
"The new three-paragraph definition says anti-Muslim hostility includes engaging in criminal acts directed at Muslims because of their religion, or at those perceived to be Muslim. Prejudicial stereotyping and unlawful discrimination were also cited in the definition, which was launched alongside a new action plan to strengthen social cohesion."
Zubir Ahmed, a vascular surgeon and parliamentary undersecretary of state for health innovation, experiences significant online abuse following his work, including Islamophobic comments. As one of two Muslims in government, he observes a troubling shift in mainstream discourse regarding identity and race over the past nine months. He expresses concern that his children may not enjoy equal societal standing compared to his own childhood. However, Ahmed views the government's new definition of anti-Muslim hostility as a significant turning point. This definition encompasses criminal acts against Muslims, prejudicial stereotyping, and unlawful discrimination based on religion. The accompanying action plan aims to strengthen social cohesion. Despite criticism from opponents who claim the definition is overly broad and risks creating a backdoor blasphemy law, Ahmed believes it validates Muslim existence in the country.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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