Prioritize human rights in US foreign policy toward India: Congresspersons tell Biden

By Our Representive
Coinciding with Prime Minister Modi's address at the joint meeting of Congress three US Congresspersons and a US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) commissioner joined human rights experts and leaders of Indian-American advocacy groups have told a policy briefing in Washington DC that the Biden government must hold the "authoritarian rule" in India responsible for "human rights abuses".
Those who participated in the briefing included Representatives Jim McGovern (D-MA), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), who gathered at the Capitol visitors center to urge President Biden to "prioritize human rights in US foreign policy toward India."
“Dissidents, journalists, and their families are targeted with violence and political persecution,” said Rep. Ilhan Omar, who hosted the briefing. “Even advocates outside of India fear that their family members will be targeted if they speak out.”
“We are told we must now turn a blind eye to the repression because of foreign policy concerns, even though human rights are supposed to be at the center of our foreign policy,” she added. “But Prime Minister Modi is not even a reliable geopolitical ally."

"It's because we value our friendship with the Indian people that we have to speak the truth about human rights abuses in India,” said Rep. Jim McGovern, co-chair of the bipartisan Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission.

“We hear regularly from representatives of ethnic and religious minorities in India who believe deeply in India's secular constitution, but fear that their rights are being systematically undermined,” he added.

Even advocates outside of India fear that their family members will be targeted if they speak out

“I'm talking about the Muslim population, but also about Sikhs, Christians and Dalits… We call on the Indian authorities to take steps to reverse these well documented and unfortunate trends and restore the full promise of the Indian constitution.”

“The first person to bring this discussion to me was actually a Hindu,” said Rep. Rashida Tlaib. “It was an incredible, incredible discussion… We wish that people could see all of us coming together in this way. You all are continuing doing that by being here.”
Stephen F Schneck, Commissioner at the USCIRF detailing the "egregious violations" of human rights and religious freedoms, reiterated the commission’s recommendation to designate India as a Country of Particular Concern.
Speaking at the event Ajit Sahi, Advocacy Director of the Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), said, “I am a Hindu myself, and I can tell you one of the biggest changes that I see now is that the poison of hatred among the Hindus has gone very deep,” he said, referring to the Hindu nationalist ideology pushed by the Modi regime. “This is not some random autocrat you are dealing with. You are dealing with a very organized movement whose founders wrote extensively in support of Hitler.”
He added, “We need to understand they are not just a threat to India. They're not just a threat to Muslims; they're not just a threat to Christians. They are a threat to world peace. If America is serious about its national security objectives and its geopolitics, then [Biden] has to take a stand and understand that you are jeopardizing peace, you are jeopardizing stability by supporting Prime Minister Modi.”
Other panelists included Sarah Yager, Washington Director of Human Rights Watch; Nadine Farid Johnson, Washington Director of PEN America; and Sunita Viswanath, executive director of the Hindus for Human Rights.

Comments

70,000 migrants, sold on Canadian dream, face uncertain future: Canada reinvents the xenophobic wheel

By Saurav Sarkar* Bikram Singh is running out of time on his post-study work visa in Canada. Singh is one of about 70,000 migrants who were sold on the Canadian dream of eventually making the country their home but now face an uncertain future with their work permits set to expire by December 2024. They came from places like India, China, and the Philippines, and sold their land and belongings in their home countries, took out loans, or made other enormous commitments to get themselves to Canada.

Kerala government data implicates the Covid vaccines for excess deaths

By Bhaskaran Raman* On 03 Dec 2024, Mr Unnikrishnan of the Indian Express had written an article titled: “Kerala govt data busts vaccine death myth; no rise in mortality post-Covid”. It claims “no significant change in the death rate in the 35-44 age group between 2019 and 2023”. However, the claim is obviously wrong, even to a casual observer, as per the same data which the article presents, as explained below.

PM-JUGA: Support to states and gram sabhas for the FRA implementation and preparation and execution of CFR management plan

By Dr. Manohar Chauhan* (Over the period, under 275(1), Ministry of Tribal Affairs has provided fund to the states for FRA implementation. Besides, some states like Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra allocated special fund for FRA implementation. Now PM-JUDA under “Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan(DAJGUA) lunched by Prime Minister on 2nd October 2024 will not only be the major source of funding from MoTA to the States/UTs, but also will be the major support to the Gram sabha for the preparation and execution of CFR management Plan).

Operation Kagar represents Indian state's intensified attempt to extinguish Maoism: Resistance continues

By Harsh Thakor Operation Kagar represents the Indian state's intensified attempt to extinguish Maoism, which claims to embody the struggles and aspirations of Adivasis. Criminalized by the state, the Maoists have been portrayed as a threat, with Operation Kagar deploying strategies that jeopardize their activities. This operation weaves together economic, cultural, and political motives, allegedly with drone attacks on Adivasi homes.

How Amit Shah's statement on Ambedkar reflects frustration of those uncomfortable with Dalit assertion, empowerment

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* Dr. B.R. Ambedkar remains the liberator and emancipator of India’s oppressed communities. However, attempts to box him between two Brahmanical political parties betray a superficial and self-serving understanding of his legacy. The statement by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in the Rajya Sabha was highly objectionable, reflecting the frustration of those uncomfortable with Dalit assertion and empowerment.

This book delves deep into Maoism's historical, social, and political dimensions in India

By Harsh Thakor* "Storming the Gates of Heaven" by Amit Bhattacharya is a comprehensive study of the Indian Maoist movement. Bhattacharya examines the movement's evolution, drawing from numerous sources and showcasing his unwavering support for Charu Mazumdar's path and practice. The book, published in 2016, delves deeply into the movement's historical, social, and political dimensions.

Ideological assault on dargah of Sufi Saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti will disturb pluralistic legacy: Modi told

Counterview Desk Letter to the Prime Minister about "a matter of the utmost concern affecting our country's social fabric": *** We are a group of independent citizens who over the past few years have made efforts to improve the deteriorating communal relations in the country. It is abundantly clear that over the last decade relations between communities, particularly Hindus and Muslims, and to an extent Christians are extremely strained leaving these latter two communities in extreme anxiety and insecurity.

Defeat of martial law: Has the decisive moment for change come in South Korea?

By Steven Lee Late at night on December 3, soldiers stormed into South Korea’s National Assembly in armored vehicles and combat helicopters. Assembly staff desperately blocked their assault with fire extinguishers and barricades. South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol had just declared martial law to “ eliminate ‘anti-state’ forces .”

Search This Blog