—Zaina Aman
8 August: Nine diaspora organizations have expressed strong support for the findings of the United Nations Human Rights Committee, which reviewed India’s human rights record for the first time in 28 years. The Committee’s July 2024 review highlighted severe issues including violence against religious minorities, gender-based violence, and the misuse of anti-terrorism laws to stifle dissent and suppress media freedoms.
The Committee’s recommendations addressed significant concerns such as the suppression of NGOs and human rights defenders, widespread corruption, and discrimination. Despite these critical observations, the Uttar Pradesh State Assembly recently enacted stringent amendments to its anti-conversion law, disregarding the Committee’s call for comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation.
The diaspora groups’ statement highlighted ongoing violence, including the recent unrest in Manipur, and criticized the punitive destruction of minority property and religious sites. It also pointed out the continued discrimination faced by Dalits, particularly those who convert to Islam or Christianity, who are denied scheduled caste status. The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act of 1989 has not sufficiently addressed the challenges faced by Dalits and Adivasis, who continue to struggle with justice due to delays in legal processes.
Additionally, the groups supported the Committee’s call for India to specifically outlaw “cow vigilantism”—a form of violence targeting religious minorities under the guise of protecting cows.
