The US State Department has released its annual report on human rights practices, which highlights “significant human rights issues” and abuses in India. The report identifies the reported targeting of religious minorities, dissidents, and journalists as some of the concerns.
This comes almost a year after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken criticized the rise in human rights abuses in India by certain government, police, and prison officials, marking a rare instance of direct censure by Washington of India’s rights record.
Credible Reports of Abuses
According to the U.S. report, there have been credible reports of extrajudicial killings, torture, cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment by police and prison officials, political prisoners or detainees, and unjustified arrests or prosecutions of journalists.
Concerns Raised by Advocacy Groups
Concerns about what they perceive to be a worsening human rights situation in India under the rule of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party have been expressed by several advocate organizations in recent years.
Targeting of Muslims
Human Rights Watch has accused the Indian government of targeting Muslims, while critics of Modi argue that his Hindu nationalist ruling party has fostered religious polarization since coming to power in 2014.
Controversial Policies
Critics have pointed to controversial policies, such as the 2019 citizenship law, which excluded Muslim migrants from neighboring countries, and anti-conversion legislation that challenged the constitutionally protected right to freedom of belief. The government also revoked Muslim-majority Kashmir’s special status in 2019.
Demolition Drive
In 2022, authorities in India demolished what they described as illegal shops and properties, many of which were owned by Muslims. The 200 million Muslims in India were allegedly intended to be intimidated by the demolition campaign, according to critics. The demolitions were justified by the government as being necessary to uphold the law.
Government’s Response
The Indian government has denied the allegations of violations of human rights, claiming that all areas are to be developed through its policies. Additionally, according to the United States report, which was made public on Monday, “human rights activists reported the government was allegedly targeting vocal opponents from the Muslim community and used the bulldozers to destroy their livelihoods” without following the correct procedures.
The Indian government has been accused of targeting Muslims and fostering religious polarization since coming to power in 2014. Critics point to controversial policies, such as the 2019 citizenship law and anti-conversion legislation that challenged the constitutionally protected right to freedom of belief. The government has also been criticized for revoking Muslim-majority Kashmir’s special status in 2019.
The Indian government’s response to the accusations of human rights abuses has been to dismiss them, stating that its policies are aimed at the development of all communities. However, civil society organizations have expressed concern about the use of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) to detain human rights activists and journalists.
India’s slide from 140th to 150th place in the World Press Freedom Index and its topping of the list for the highest number of internet shutdowns in the world for five years in a row are also cause for concern. As India’s human rights record comes under increasing scrutiny, it remains to be seen how the government will respond to these concerns and address the issue.
