The United States State Department has released a comprehensive report shedding light on grave human rights violations in India, underscoring a disturbing trend of abuses under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration.
Presented by US Secretary of State Anthony Blanken, the report unveils a catalogue of atrocities, including illegal raids and crackdowns on dissenting voices. Among the highlighted incidents is the raid on the BBC office in Manipur and the controversial two-year jail sentence handed to opposition leader Rahul Gandhi.
According to the report, ethnic tensions erupted in 2023 between the Kuki and Meiti tribes in Manipur, resulting in widespread violence and displacement. At least 175 fatalities and over 60,000 displacements were recorded between May and November of that year, with reports of armed clashes, sexual assaults, and the destruction of property and religious sites.
Criticism is directed towards the Modi government for its alleged inaction in quelling the unrest and protecting vulnerable communities. Moreover, accusations of disseminating misinformation against civil society groups, religious minorities, and political opponents have further exacerbated tensions, as noted by the report.
The report also highlights a concerning pattern of targeting journalists and human rights activists, particularly in the restive region of Jammu and Kashmir. Since 2019, over 35 journalists have reportedly faced harassment, arbitrary arrests, and restrictions on their movements, allegedly at the hands of Indian security forces.
In a notable incident, the Indian tax department raided the BBC office, purportedly in retaliation for a critical documentary about Prime Minister Modi. This move, condemned as an assault on press freedom, has drawn international condemnation and raised concerns about the deteriorating media environment in India.
India’s press freedom index ranking, falling to 161 out of 180 countries, underscores the challenging landscape faced by journalists in the country. Human rights organizations have also decried the worsening conditions under the Modi government, citing an uptick in hate speech, discriminatory policies, and the targeted demolition of Muslim properties.
The report concludes with a call for the Indian government to address these egregious human rights violations and uphold its international obligations to protect the rights and freedoms of all its citizens. However, it remains to be seen how the Modi administration will respond to these damning allegations.
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