LONDON: A charity worker appointed by the UK government as an advisor on Islamophobia has quit the role before beginning his work over allegations that he received a “torrent of abuse.”
Fiyaz Mughal, founder of the Faith Matters counter-extremism group and the Tell Mama organization, set up to tackle Islamophobia, was set to become the UK’s first lead on tackling anti-Muslim hatred, advising the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.
But he resigned on Friday, telling The Times that his name was leaked by government insiders earlier last week, leading him to question how seriously it was committed to the issue of extremism.
He said he has been targeted by both Islamist and far-right extremists, ranging from those who branded him a “heretic” to others who told him he “didn’t belong” in Britain.
“Serious stuff was coming through my inbox,” Mughal told The Times, adding that the episode has caused severe mental stress and put him “at risk.”
The role, he revealed, was only set to be for two days a month, which he said also raises concerns over how seriously the government is taking the issue of anti-Muslim hatred.
“I’m angry because the government has been saying for decades, ‘where are the British Muslims speaking out?’ When we speak out, we are left to our own devices. The impact on our personal and professional lives is enormous,” he added.
A government source said Mughal was just “a name under consideration” for the position, and had not been offered the role permanently. The source added that the position would be filled “very soon.”
