The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) has released a report that alleges that India’s human rights crisis has deepened in 2024.
The Washington-based group describes itself as the "largest advocacy organisation of Indian Muslims in the United States with chapters across the nation".
The report says that human rights and religious freedom in India continued to deteriorate throughout 2024, including through the introduction of new discriminatory policies, a spike in hate crimes, cow-related lynchings, hate speeches during India’s general elections, numerous incidents of deadly police brutality, and transnational repression.
There is ‘pervasive and structural’ violence and ‘egregious atrocities’ against Indian minorities, including Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Dalits, and Kashmiris, as per the report. It also notes that the government’s repression tactics have impacted members of the Indian diaspora living in the United States and Canada.
Two incidents highlighted in the report are the ‘police violence’ against Muslim protesters in Uttarakhand’s Haldwani in January, 2024 and Sambhal (Uttar Pradesh) in November. The report says that the police opened fire on Muslims who were exercising their right to protest.
It also highlights the Uniform Civil Code of Uttarakhand as forcing religious minorities to adhere to common law in personal matters such as marriage and divorce; the Waqf (Amendment) Bill for eroding control over historical mosques, dargahs and graveyards; and a number of directives by both police and local governments ordering all food sellers to display their names on their establishments.
The report has also called out the media for colluding with the government. "The press’s role in manufacturing and amplifying hate speech was especially visible in the run-up to India’s general elections", it reads.
IAMC executive director Rasheed Ahmed said that even after the BJP’s marginal loss of power in the 2024 elections, "…Hindu militant groups remain emboldened, law enforcement remains largely beholden to extremists, and the judiciary remains compromised", he said.
