Congress demands NHRC to probe 'brutal conduct' of UP Police during anti-CAA protests

A Congress delegation on Monday submitted a memorandum to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) demanding an inquiry into the "unlawful and brutal conduct" of the Uttar Pradesh Police during protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

"Some states have resorted to repressive, violent, brutal and above all, illegal methods in response to these protests. Curiously the majority of States in which repressive force has been mercilessly utilised to oppress the free expression of public dissent are governed by the ruling BJP dispensation," reads the memorandum.

"One such State is the State of Uttar Pradesh. The BJP government of Uttar Pradesh has indeed outdone all others in the extent of oppressive measures it has taken with impunity against its own people," adds the memorandum.

"We also take this opportunity to impress upon the Commission the sheer necessity and urgency of a timely intervention ... It is imperative that flagrant violations of the human rights of citizens of India be prevented so as to protect them against state-sponsored violence and oppression," reads the memorandum further.

Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee president Ajay Kumar Lallu, Congress legislature party leader Aradhana Mishra, and MP PL Punia were among those who constituted the delegation.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Singhvi said that several people died "because of police's indiscriminate firing and arbitrary action."

"Women and minors becoming collateral damage in a very cruel manner; vandalism by the police themselves and in particular by this new cadre of so-called 'Police Mitras' who seem to be really 'Mitras of Police' or the friends of the police and not of the public; indiscriminate action on innocent bystanders by the UP Police," he said.

"Then the threats issued by the UP Police that we will confiscate your property. We will come and arrest your people if you go out on the streets and exercise your fundamental right to protest. Then clearly evidence of the ruling party members, office bearers being roped in to stop democratic protests to conduct strong, arbitrary, cruel, and illegal action, very, very important, failure to lodge FIR," said Singhvi.