Why has amnesty international shut down its operations in India? Shafaqna exclusive

by Abbas Adil

Amnesty International says it has been forced to halt its India operations due to “reprisals” from the government.The watchdog also accused the government of pursuing a “witch-hunt” against human rights organisations.Amnesty said its bank accounts had been frozen and it had been forced to lay off staff in the country and suspend all its campaign and research work.

The organization is facing a rather unprecedented situation in India. Amnesty International India has been facing an onslaught of attacks, bullying and harassment by the government in a very systematic manner. Amnesty accused India that “This is all down to the human rights work that we were doing and the government not wanting to answer questions we raised, whether it’s in terms of our investigations into the Delhi riots, or the silencing of voices in Jammu and Kashmir.” In August 2016, a case of sedition was filed against Amnesty India over allegations that anti-India slogans were raised at one of its events. Three years later, a court ordered the charges to be dropped.

In October 2018, the group’s offices in the southern city of Bangalore were raided by the Enforcement Directorate, which investigates financial crimes. Its accounts were frozen then too, but Amnesty says it was able to access them after seeking a court’s intervention.In early 2019, the group says dozens of its small donors were sent letters by the country’s income tax department. And later in the same year, Amnesty’s offices were raided again, this time by the Central Bureau of Investigation, based on a case registered by India’s home affairs ministry.

Amnesty, one of the world’s best-known rights groups, is known for its criticism of Prime Minister Modi’s coercive policies – particularly towards India’s Muslim community, both inside the country and in the occupied territory of Kashmir. In March this year, the Nobel Peace Prize-winning watchdog condemned the internet blackout in occupied Kashmir.

Earlier on the first anniversary of the illegal annexation of Kashmir, the rights group released a damning statement on the violations of basic rights in the valley.  In its report titled ‘Jammu and Kashmir after one year of abrogation of Article 370’ the group urged the authorities in New Delhi to release all political leaders, journalists and activists from administrative detention and demanded the restoration of 4G mobile internet services in the region.  In its bid to discredit the report, the Modi government called it lopsided and malicious.

This is really an alarming situation and world must open its eyes on the human rights abuses and onslaught on dissident groups and siege of Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Infact Indian democracy under PM Modi has lost its democratic sheen which, as a result, has transformed the country into a new majoritarian regime in South Asia.It is important to note that Indian politics is being shaped by the extremist politicians and strategists who intend to wipe out the Muslim minority from India.

Ram Rath Yatra, Mandal Commission, Ram Janma Bhoni movement, Attack on Babri Mosque, Demolition of Babri Mosque, Bombay riots, Nuclear Explosions of 1997, Kargil Conflict, Attack on Indian Parliament, Mobilization against Pakistan, Gujrat Pogroms, Mumbai terrorism everything in one or the other was skilfully utilized in redefining Indian narrative and politics moving it ever closer to the realization of a Hindu Rashtra which now exists in reality though it still needs a legal and constitutional cover.

Treating 200 million people as minority, that too vulnerable, may adversely impact India’s current political settings. The emerging trends in India offer us sufficient amount of evidence that the rise of identity politics in India is to overshadow Modi’s dismaying economic performance. This is wrong with identitarian politics in the age populism.

Despite the global outcry, Prime Minister Modi, who appears to be at the centre of this latest embarrassing episode for India, remains tight-lipped. The nationalist leader, known for his authoritarian tendencies has not said a word since Amnesty decided to halt its operations.

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