Rebuke of India at UN skewed

Serious concerns (over India) have been, yet again, raised at the UN Rights Review with Member States seeking protection of minority rights, free speech and peaceful Assembly recently. The latest review further stated that the Indian government should promptly adopt and act on the recommendations that United Nations member-states made at the UN Human Rights Council's Universal Periodic Review process on November 10, 2022, six international human rights groups said.

The recommendations cover a range of key concerns including the protection of minority communities and vulnerable groups, tackling gender-based violence, upholding civil society freedoms, protecting human rights defenders, and ending torture in custody. The groups are the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), CSW, International Dalit Solidarity Network, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. All UN member-states participate in the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process, which examines their human rights record and proposes action to improve the human rights situations in their countries.

In its report submitted to the UN ahead of its review, the Indian government claimed "it is firmly committed to the promotion and protection of human rights." However, in the past UPR cycles, India has ignored important recommendations, including the obligation to address increasing violence against religious minorities, ensure accountability of its security forces, and protect freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, the report said. Since its last review in 2017, India has undergone a serious regression in human rights under the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is the often claimed mantra of the anti-Modi groups. The latest report is no exception wherein it claimed that the government has escalated its crackdown on independent and democratic institutions, and is using draconian counterterrorism and national security laws to prosecute and harass human rights activists, journalists, students, government critics, and peaceful protesters. Attacks, discrimination, and incitement against religious minorities are increasing. The traditionally marginalized Dalit and Adivasi communities have been denied justice and equitable protection. However, except presenting an isolated case or a couple of attacks on some individuals, the groups fail to come up with any evidence. Nowhere, the report, talked about the 'sar tan se juda' slogans or the attacks on Hindus in several States. At least this is what the BJP leadership feels in rebutting the charges. What such reviews lack is a balanced approach which dilutes their argument. At least 21 countries urged India to improve its protection of freedom of religion and rights of religious minorities, with several raising concerns over increasing violence and hate speech and the government's adoption of discriminatory policies such as "anti-conversion" laws.

The anti-Modi groups claim that the minority groups have been discriminated against since 2014. They add that Modi's rule has enabled violent Hindu majoritarianism, the groups said ignoring the fact that several Hindus faced attacks from the minorities and even killings occurred in the past but not one such incident had been taken note of, the BJP alleges. Though this attack against the Narendra Modi-led BJP government sounds too familiar with the anti-Modi groups bringing up their act together, there again is not any proof against 'violent Hindu majority' attacking the minorities on a daily basis as is being made out by the groups. If such reports don't gain currency in India it is because those are concerned only with minority rights. Violation of non-minority citizens' rights is alright with them.