UN Experts Call for Inquiry into Protests in India
Washington: On Tuesday, UN experts urged for an independent investigation into how Indian authorities managed recent protests, highlighting allegations of injuries and mistreatment of demonstrators. These protests were organized by opposition political groups and student organizations, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar due to changes in voter lists that critics claim benefit Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The experts noted that, despite the peaceful nature of the demonstrations, law enforcement reportedly used excessive force against unarmed students, including baton charges, and prevented many from joining the protests. They called on the authorities to stop using excessive force, lift blanket assembly bans, and avoid misusing digital surveillance methods.
The Indian embassy in Washington has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding these concerns. Historically, India has dismissed such criticisms, viewing them as outside interference in its internal matters, especially when the UN human rights office expressed worries over mass detentions linked to the latest protests.
Protesters argue that the removal of approximately 130 million names from the voter rolls has disenfranchised many eligible voters, particularly affecting poorer individuals, the homeless, and ethnic minorities like Muslims. These groups typically do not support the ruling BJP. However, the BJP and the Election Commission defend their actions, stating they were eliminating duplicates, deceased individuals, and other ineligible voters, and maintain that anyone mistakenly removed can appeal the decision.
Human rights organizations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have condemned the government’s response to the protests. The UN experts, assigned by the UN Human Rights Council to monitor specific human rights issues, emphasized their independence from the organization when making their recommendations.
