U.S. Govt. report condemns India for 'Human Right Violation'

U.S. State Department in its report released on Sunday, has criticised India over alleged human rights violations, while referring to the police case against activist Teesta Setalvad and encounter of eight suspected Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) activists in Madhya Pradesh.

The report titled, 'Human Rights Practices in India for 2016' also highlighted the restrictions on foreign funding of NGOs, dowry-related deaths and female genital mutilation as human rights problems in the country.

The reported also stated about the rejection of permits to 25 NGOs form receiving foreign funds, stating that several voluntary organisations said these actions threatened their ability to continue to operate in the country.

The report also referred about the 'Vyapam' scam in Madhya Pradesh and the irregularities found in the recruitment of the Government officials and admission into the educational institutions, terming it as an example of "corruption and lack of transparency in government".

"Investigations and prosecutions of individual cases took place, but lax enforcement, a shortage of trained police officers, and an overburdened and under resourced court system contributed to infrequent convictions," the report said.

As per the report, the major problem is the involved instances of police and security force abuses, including extra judicial killings, torture, rape and corruption.

It also highlighted other human rights problems included disappearances, hazardous prison conditions, arbitrary arrest and detention, and lengthy pretrial detention.

"There were instances of infringement of privacy rights. The law in six states restricted religious conversion, and there were reports of arrests but no reports of convictions under those laws. Some limits on the freedom of movement continued," it said.

Rape, domestic violence, dowry-related deaths, honour killings, sexual harassment, and discrimination against women and girls remained serious societal problems, the report said.

"Trafficking in persons, including widespread bonded and forced labour of children and adults, and sex trafficking of children and adults for prostitution, were serious problems," said the report.