Govt muzzled critics, failed to protect minorities: Report

The BJP-led govt is recently mired in controversies over alleged attacks on churches and on Muslims for storing and selling beef

Human Rights Watch has blamed the government for failing to crack down on increasing attacks on freedom of speech and religious minorities.

"Even as the prime minister celebrated Indian democracy abroad, back home, civil society groups faced increased harassment and government critics faced intimidation and lawsuits," said Human Rights Watch, which reviews human rights practices in 90 countries, in its 659-page World Report 2016.

"The government did little in 2015 to implement promises by newly elected Prime Minister Narendra Modi to improve respect for religious freedom, protect the rights of women and children, and end abuses against the marginalised communities."

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance was voted to power in May 2014 on the plank of development, among others. But, the government was recently mired in controversies over alleged attacks on churches and on Muslims for storing and selling beef.

"Some leaders of the ruling the Bharatiya Janata Party made inflammatory remarks against minorities and right-wing Hindu fringe groups threatened and harassed them (minorities)… in some cases even attacked them," the report said.

"Anti-Muslim rhetoric by several BJP leaders, including members of Parliament, further stoked insecurities among religious minorities. The authorities did not press robustly for prosecution of those responsible for violent attacks on minorities, and impunity for the assailants contributed to a sense of government indifference to growing religious intolerance."

The issue of intolerance grew after many celebrated writers returned their awards to protest the government's inaction against certain right-wing organisations suspected to be behind the killings of some writers and activists. The government and Bharatiya Janata Party spokespersons had denied such charges, calling these a "manufactured debate" started by the opposition parties.

"Some BJP leaders responded with angry denials, fuelling online threats and hatred against the protesters and raising concerns over potential future retaliation," Human Rights Watch said in a press statement.

The Centre blocked foreign funding of organisations such as Greenpeace India and targeted several others, including the Ford Foundation. "Authorities labelled activists such as Teesta Setalvad and Javed Anand 'anti-national' when they sought justice for victims of the 2002 communal riots in Gujarat. Such tactics had a chilling effect on the work of other groups."

The report criticised the Narendra Modi government for voting "poorly" on human rights issues at the United Nations. India had abstained from voting on some Human Rights Council resolutions.

"India has long been vocal about playing a larger role in global affairs and Prime Minister Modi shares those aspirations. But, so far, he has failed to take steps to improve India's weak record on human rights at home and abroad," said Meenakshi Ganguly, South Asia director at Human Rights Watch.
THE REPORT'S OBSERVATIONS

• Human Rights Watch has blamed the government for failing to crack down on increasing attacks on freedom of speech and religious minorities
• Anti-Muslim rhetoric by several BJP leaders, including members of Parliament, stoked insecurities among religious minorities
• The authorities did not press robustly for prosecution of those responsible for violent attacks on minorities
• Impunity for the assailants contributed to a sense of government indifference to growing religious intolerance