By TOI News Desk / TIMESOFINDIA.COM
July 29, 2024
Credits @FFHR.CZ
NEW DELHI: United Nations Human Rights Commission (UNHRC) on Thursday expressed concern over "arbitrary arrest and prosecution" of minorities and journalists in India. It said that the laws on counter-terrorism were being misused against those who express "minority or dissenting views and exercising their right to peaceful assembly."
The report pointed out the killing of "59 journalists since 2006" along with over "60 activists, whistle-blowers, journalists or human rights defenders, reporting or working on the fight against corruption since 2018, as well as online or physical harassment and attacks."
The rights body also voiced its concern over rising case of lynching by “cow vigilantes”, asking the government to formulate a law that deals with the same.
However, the report did acknowledge some of the "positive" steps taken by the government which include laws to safeguard rights of minorities, children and women.
'Concerned by ghar wapsi(homecoming) ceremonies'
The rights body questioned the "ghar wapsi" or "homecoming" ceremonies allegedly being carried out to forcibly convert religious minorities to Hinduism.
"The Committee is concerned by “ghar wapsi” – or “homecoming” – ceremonies, where religious minorities are allegedly coerced to convert to Hinduism; according to reports received, over the past decade, thousands of Christians and Muslims have been converted to Hinduism during these ceremonies," it said.
The report further said that the legislations that are in force to prevent forced religious conversions were being "applied in ways that restrict and violate the right to freedom of religion."
"The Committee has particular concerns about provisions that: require individuals to notify authorities of their intention to convert; contain vague wording that gives officials broad power to decide on religious conversions; impose enhanced punishments for conversion by minority groups; consider interfaith marriages as presumptively unlawful; or shift the burden of proof to the accused to show that a conversion was not coerced," it said.
'CAA discriminates against Muslims'
The report talks about the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act 2019 that particularly excludes Muslims from neighbouring countries of Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan to seek Indian citizenship. It called out on the State to either repeal or amend the rules of CAA.
As a consequence, the report pointed out, that over 2 million Muslims in Assam who already hold citizenship risk statelessness and being placed in detention centres for an indefinite period before being expelled from the territory of the State party.
"The Committee is concerned by the fact that the Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019 and the Citizenship Amendment Rules, 2024 establish access to citizenship for asylum seekers and refugees according to religious criteria, discriminating in particular against Muslims. According to this legislation citizenship is reserved to Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Parsis, Christians and Jains from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan," it said.
"In addition, the Committee is concerned by the excessively complex proceedings faced by Muslims and the evidence requested to be included in the National Population Register and enlisted in the National Register of Citizens," it added.
'Derogatory rhetoric against Muslims, Christians, Sikhs'
The human rights body took note of "reports about discrimination against minority groups, and violence and derogatory rhetoric against religious minorities, including Muslims, Christians, and Sikhs."
It further said that the state lacked effective judicial and administrative remedies for addressing discrimination.
Suggesting some measures to deal with this, the report said that the state should "adopt robust measures to effectively prevent acts of discrimination, including by providing training and awareness raising programmes for civil servants, law enforcement bodies, the judiciary and public prosecutors, as well as religious and community leaders and promote respect for diversity among the general public."
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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