Human Rights violation in India

Why in the News?

Ro Khanna, a high-powered delegation of US member of Congress to raise human rights issues during his visit to India for the Independence Day on August 15.

Human Rights Violations in India as per the Human Rights Watch:

1. Jammu and Kashmir
   1. Imposition of Public Safety Act led to detention of hundreds of people without trial for up to two years.
   2. A new media policy was introduced in Jammu and Kashmir that contained vague and overbroad provisions that unnecessarily restricted and penalized legally protected speech.
   3. Restrictions on internet even after the Supreme Court said in January that access to the internet was a fundamental right.
2. Impunity for security forces
   1. Cases of torture in police custody and extrajudicial killings emphasized lack of accountability for police abuses and failure to enforce police reforms.
   2. The Border Security Force frequently used excessive force along the Bangladeshi border, targeting Indian residents and irregular immigrants and cattle traders from Bangladesh.
3. Dalits, Tribal groups and religious minorities
   1. Delhi riots of 2021 killed 53 people and injured over 200 people.
   2. Use of the draconian National Security Act against 76 people accused of cow slaughter in the state of Uttar Pradesh.
   3. 2019 Government data states that crimes against Dalits increased by 7 percent
4. Civil society and Freedom of Association
   1. Draconian sedition and terrorism laws were booked against human rights defenders, student activists, academics, opposition leaders, and critics with respect to the Delhi riots.
   2. The parliament passed amendments to the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) to harass outspoken rights groups.

For instance, Amnesty International was forced to suspend its India operations after the government froze the organization’s bank accounts, accusing it of violating laws related to foreign funding

5. In love jihad, there have been objections to inter-community love relationships, specifically between India’s majority Hindus and minority Muslims.
6. Freedom of expression
   1. Use of Pegasus spyware on Indian citizens revealed that 5 out of 29 phones examined had malware on them.
   2. the Supreme Court chief justice granted bail to journalist Siddique Kappan after being held for two years on baseless charges of terrorism, sedition, and other offenses.

Link: Ro Khanna to raise human rights issues during India visit, say U.S. civil rights organisations - The Hindu