ISLAMABAD
A damning report by Human Rights Watch (HRW) exposes the appalling reality of India’s blatant disregard for human rights, particularly in occupied Jammu and Kashmir, under PM Narendra Modi’ s radical Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) regime, marked by state-sponsored violence, entrenched discrimination and ruthless suppression.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the northeast state of Manipur has witnessed severe ethnic violence since May 2023, resulting in over 200 deaths and the displacement of more than 60,000 people. Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir, already reeling under heavy militarization, reported 40 violent incidents between May and September 2024.
These attacks led to the deaths of 18 civilians, 20 security personnel, and 39 suspected militants.
In Jammu, considered relatively peaceful, a sudden surge in violence between May and July claimed the lives of 15 soldiers and nine civilians. Local voters contradicted the Indian government’s claims of restoring peace in Kashmir during September’s regional elections, held for the first time since the 2019 revocation of the region’s autonomy.
India also saw a disturbing rise in religious and caste-based violence in 2024 where a 26-year-old Muslim migrant worker was lynched in Haryana over beef allegations. A 72-year-old Muslim man was beaten on a train in Maharashtra under similar accusations. BJP-led state governments used “bulldozer justice” to demolish Muslim homes and properties, often without legal due process.
In Uttar Pradesh, a 15-year-old Dalit boy was forced to drink urine, while a 20-year-old Dalit nurse was raped by a doctor.In Madhya Pradesh, police officials were accused of physically assaulting Dalit individuals, reflecting the continued plight of marginalized communities.
