WASHINGTON
\nThe US State Department\u2019s annual human rights assessment found \u201csignificant\u201d abuses in India\u2019s northeastern Manipur state last year and attacks on minorities, journalists, and dissenting voices in the rest of the country.
\nManipur has seen fierce fighting between its tribal Kuki-Zo and majority Meitei populations after a court order a year ago suggested the Kuki\u2019s minority privileges be extended to the Meitei. More than 200 people have been killed.
\nThe State Department report said over 60,000 people were displaced between May and November in Manipur.There was no immediate comment on the report from the Indian embassy in Washington.
\nIn the rest of India, the State Department reported \u201cnumerous instances\u201d in which the government and its allies \u201callegedly pressured or harassed media outlets critical of the government.\u201d
\nFor example, the Income Tax Department searched the BBC\u2019s offices, in early 2023 after it released a documentary critical of Hindu nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Indian government said at the time the search was not vindictive.
\nReporters Without Borders ranked India at 161 out of 180 countries on its press freedom index in 2023, the country\u2019s lowest position ever.
\nThe US assessment said religious minorities in India reported discrimination including calls for violence and the spread of misinformation.
\nModi, who is favored to win a record-equaling third term in an election underway until June 1, denies abuse of minorities and says his policies aim to benefit all Indians.
\nHuman rights groups allege the climate has deteriorated under Modi. They point to a rise in hate speech, the revoking, of Muslim-majority Kashmir\u2019s special status, a citizenship law, that the U.N. calls \u201cfundamentally discriminatory\u201d and the demolition of Muslim properties, in the name of removing illegal construction.
\nWhile the US report hit on themes similar to recent years, political analysts say Washington is restrained in its public criticism of New Delhi because the US hopes India will counterweight to an expansionist China.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
WASHINGTON The US State Department\u2019s annual human rights assessment found \u201csignificant\u201d abuses in India\u2019s northeastern Manipur state last year and attacks on minorities, journalists, and dissenting voices in the rest of the country. Manipur has seen fierce fighting between its tribal Kuki-Zo and majority Meitei populations after a court order a year ago suggested the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":402276,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-402252","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n