CAGE: France plans to establish Islamophobic section of its soon to be launched “Indo-Pacific” strategy

France is gathering knowledge on the Indian Muslim community and could use it to design the Islamophobic section of its soon-to-be-launched “Indo-Pacific” strategy, according to the January report by the UK independent human rights organization CAGE, Report informs.

The French President visited India at the end of the month and issued a series of declarations strengthening the ties between the two nations, the report said.

During the visit, Macron restated France’s willingness to support India’s application for a permanent seat at the UN’s Security Council.

CAGE said that Gabriel Attal - former Minister of Education who banned abayas from public schools - has been confirmed as Prime Minister. In his first address to Parliament, he introduced the general principles shaping his approach to governance. The new Prime Minister laid down the foundations of the next Islamophobic law while establishing priorities:

“This very principle was weaponized in the near past to target Muslims: it justified the ban on hijab in public schools, the ban on niqab from public squares, the closure of mosques, removal of imams from their posts or expulsion from national territory. This principle might be the constitutional foundation of the next Islamophobic law. Hijab in Universities could become the next target of the government.”