CAGE: France plans to create an Islamophobic section of its Indo-Pacific strategy

France is gathering information on India's Muslim community, which will be used to develop an Islamophobic section of its Indo-Pacific strategy.

According to Report, this is stated in the monthly report for January of the British independent human rights organization CAGE.

The author recalls that late in January, French President Emmanuel Macron visited India to strengthen security ties. During the visit, Macron reiterated France's readiness to support India's bid to become a permanent member of the UN Security Council.

"The modalities of this partnership are being explored as France is gathering information on the Indian Muslim community, which can be used to develop the Islamophobic section of its Indo-Pacific Strategy, which will be launched soon," the report stressed.

The report also says that France's new Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, who as education minister banned the abaya in public schools, is laying the groundwork for the next Islamophobic law based on the principle of gender equality.

"It is this principle that has been used as a weapon against Muslims in the recent past: it has justified banning the hijab in public schools, banning the niqab in public places, closing mosques, removing imams from their posts or expelling them from the country," CAGE notes, adding the wearing of the hijab in universities could be the government's next target.