The latest inflammatory comments by Elon Musk about grooming gangs mark a troubling departure from the professional restraint expected from public figures like him. The issue of labeling perpetrators in the “grooming gangs” scandal as predominantly of Pakistani origin has contributed to rising concerns about Islamophobia and racial discrimination. Following his baseless allegations, Indian media, which never misses an opportunity, started a malicious campaign against the Pakistani diaspora in the UK.
Let’s examine the reality of the whole episode based on facts, as the persistent framing of the issue often ignores factual evidence. According to the 2022 UK Ministry of Justice official report, 83% of grooming gang offenders are white, while only 7% are Asian, and merely 2% are of Pakistani ethnicity. This shows that the majority of such crimes are not linked to Pakistanis.
Moreover, UNICEF reports further clarify that child sexual exploitation is a global issue, with offenders often motivated by a range of socio-economic factors rather than ethnicity. The issue, therefore, cannot be attributed to a single group, as seen in countries worldwide.
In addition to the above, the National Police Chiefs’ Council report reveals that 85% of “group-based” child abusers in 2024 were white, countering recent online campaigns focused on grooming gangs involving Pakistani men.
Therefore, the focus on “Pakistani grooming gangs” often serves as a political tool to deflect attention from the systemic failures of law enforcement and child protection agencies. By using terms like “Pakistani grooming gangs” instead of focusing on the criminality of the individuals involved, public figures like Elon Musk and political leaders are dangerously shifting the narrative toward racial and religious profiling.
It is a matter of great surprise what makes Elon Musk comment on a decade-old issue by targeting the UK PM, Keir Starmer, accusing him of being “complicit in the rape of Britain” during his tenure as director of public prosecutions (DPP) between 2008 and 2013 for failing to tackle grooming gangs. This indicates old score-settling. Independent observers are of the view that Elon Musk has involved himself in British politics, using his social media platform X to attack and spread misinformation about PM Keir Starmer and other members of the Labour government.
It has also been observed that Musk has increasingly used his platform to influence political discourse, endorsing far-right-wing ideologies and interfering in national politics, particularly in the UK. Even in the EU, Musk has been accused of intervening in politics by France, Germany, and Norway. Musk’s X is now more of a battleground for narrative wars, exploiting the vulnerabilities of states that the US considers strategically important.
It is also a matter of great concern that only Elon Musk, right-wing ideologists, and Indian media are amplifying the issue loudly, for reasons well known. However, PM Keir Starmer himself is negating the issue and calling it politically crafted.
Criticism of Starmer, who, as Chief Prosecutor, oversaw high-profile prosecutions of grooming gangs, has been widely condemned for spreading misinformation.
Be it the Middle East, South Asia, or Europe, Trump administration nominees are laying the groundwork for upcoming US foreign policy before Trump steps into the Oval Office.
The resurgence of the UK’s grooming gangs scandal, accompanied by heightened political and public rhetoric, has significant implications for Islamophobia. The racial dimension of these cases has been widely debated, with critics arguing that such labeling unfairly associates entire ethnic or religious communities with criminal behavior, fostering negativity and prejudice.
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