Former Vice President Hamid Ansari, US lawmakers expressed concern over human rights in India

Washington: Former Vice President Hamid Ansari and four US lawmakers on Wednesday expressed concern over the current human rights situation in India. Ansari and several US lawmakers addressed the panel discussion organized digitally by the Indian American Muslim Council. However, India has been denying the allegations of foreign governments and human rights organizations about the end of civil liberties in the country.

Democratic Party MP Ed Markey said, “An environment has been created where discrimination and violence can take root. In recent years we have seen an increase in hate speech and hate acts online. These include vandalism of mosques, burning of churches and communal violence.” Marke has a history of taking an anti-India stance, opposing the Indo-US civil nuclear deal during the regime led by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. did. Participating in the discussion digitally from India, former Vice President Ansari also expressed his concern over the growing trend of Hindu nationalism.

Ansari alleged, “In recent years, we have experienced the emergence of trends and practices that dispute the well-established doctrine of civic nationalism and promote a new and imaginary trend of cultural nationalism. She seeks to segregate citizens on the basis of their religion, fuel intolerance and promote unrest and insecurity.” Three lawmakers Jim McGovern, Andy Levine and Jamie Ruskin also took part in the discussion.

Ruskin said, “India has a lot of problems on the issue of religious authoritarianism and discrimination. That’s why we want to make sure India stays on the path of respect for religious freedom, liberty, pluralism, tolerance and dissent for everyone.” Levine said, “Sadly, today the world’s largest Democracy is witnessing decline, human rights abuses and rise of religious nationalism. India has fallen from 27 to 53 in the Democracy Index since 2014 and ‘Freedom House’ has put India in the ‘Independent’ to ‘Partly Independent’ category.

According to a press release issued by the Indian American Muslim Council, McGovern, co-chair of the US House of Representatives’ Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, listed a number of warning signs that indicate the “alarming decline” of human rights in India .

According to a media release issued by the Indian American Muslim Council, McGovern, co-chair of the powerful Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission of the US House of Representatives, listed several signs that indicate India’s “decline” on the human rights situation. The Government of India has insisted that India has well-established democratic practices and strong institutions to protect the rights of all. The government has emphasized that the Indian Constitution provides adequate protections under various laws to ensure the protection of human rights.