Rising Concerns Over Anti-Muslim Rhetoric and Inclusion Challenges Across the US, Canada, and India

Rising Concerns Over Anti-Muslim Rhetoric and Inclusion Challenges Across the US, Canada, and India
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A series of incidents in the United States, Canada, and India has renewed debate over anti-Muslim rhetoric, discrimination, and the barriers Muslims continue to face in public and institutional spaces.

In the US, President Donald Trump sparked widespread condemnation after saying that Somali-American Congresswoman Ilhan Omar should be “thrown out of the country” and should not be allowed to serve in Congress, Anadolu Agency reported. Speaking to reporters, Trump claimed that “Somalians have taken billions of dollars out of our country,” adding that Omar “shouldn’t be allowed to be a congresswoman” and should “go back” to her “own country.”

Trump also accused Minnesota’s Somali-American community of “contributing nothing” and labeled Minnesota Governor Tim Walz “crooked” and “incompetent.”

Omar responded that Trump’s “obsession” with her and Somali Americans was “creepy and unhealthy,” while the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) condemned his remarks as “dangerous and openly racist.” According to local media, Somali Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre dismissed the comments.

In Canada, inclusion concerns have emerged in the sports sector. According to City News, youth leader Samira Jahmoun of the Winnipeg Newcomer Sports Academy said many Muslim girls and women leave sports programs because coaches struggle or refuse to accommodate modest-dress requirements or other religious needs. A new academy report found no overt Islamophobia but highlighted structural separation between Muslim and non-Muslim teams, which leaves athletes feeling unwelcome. Joint activities organized by the academy have begun reducing misconceptions and encouraging social integration.

Meanwhile, in India, a controversy has erupted after Vivek Vidyalaya and Junior College in Mumbai’s Goregaon suburb banned students from wearing the burqa on campus. The administration cited a cheating incident involving a burqa-clad student and said the measure was necessary for discipline.

According to Clarion India, the Students Islamic Organisation (SIO) denounced the rule as discriminatory and unconstitutional, arguing that it violates religious freedoms guaranteed under Articles 14, 15, and 25. Students are reportedly considering hunger strikes if the ban is not withdrawn. Police say no formal complaint has yet been filed.