Not unexpectedly, the newly elected Bharatiya Janata Party government came in for criticism in Amnesty International's latest report on the state of human rights across the world, released Wednesday.
"Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who campaigned on promises of good governance and development for all, made commitments to improve access to financial services and sanitation for people living in poverty," said the report by the human rights group. "However, the government took steps towards reducing requirements to consult with communities affected by corporate-led projects. The authorities continued to violate people’s rights to privacy and freedom of expression. There was a rise in communal violence in Uttar Pradesh and some other states, and corruption, caste-based discrimination and caste violence remained pervasive."
But it wasn't only the government that came in for criticism. Amnesty noted that civilians continue to be at risk from attacks by armed groups. These groups were responsible for killing and injuring several civilian and government officials in troubled areas across the country, including Jammu and Kashmir, central India and the north-eastern states.
“Armed groups killed and injured civilians and destroyed property in indiscriminate and at times targeted attacks,” the report said. “Their actions also displaced people. Clashes between security forces and armed Maoist groups led to several civilian deaths.”
Assam killings
In Assam, dozens of Muslims died at the hands of armed groups in January and May. In December, the same groups also attacked Adivasis. In other north-eastern states, the groups attacked civilians and caused large-scale displacement.
Other parts of the country also witnessed armed violence. Just before the general election in May, local government and electoral officials were allegedly killed by armed groups in Jammu and Kashmir, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand.
The organisation took a dim view of the increasing lack of corporate accountability in India, pointing to an instance of a questionable Vedanta Resources public hearing in Odisha in August that did not adequately take into account the views of affected communities.
“Thousands of people remained at risk of being forcibly evicted from their homes and lands for large infrastructure projects,” the report said. “Particularly vulnerable were Adivasi communities living near new and expanding mines and dams.”
Reducing participation
The report mentioned changes in laws that put the environment and land ownership at risk and reduced community participation in decision making. This included a December ordinance that did away with the need to seek consent and assess the social impact of upcoming projects on affected communities and an environment ministry decision to weaken community consultation for industrial projects, particularly those involving coal.
Non-governmental organisations were also harassed, the report said, particularly those that opposed large infrastructure and mining projects. A leaked Intelligence Bureau report on such NGOs said that they negatively impacted economic development. The government has since investigated these organisations and blocked foreign funding to them using the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act.
Marking the 30th anniversary of the Bhopal gas leak, the report said that even as the government said it would use medical and scientific data to increase its claims against Union Carbide, survivors continued to suffer from health issues due to the government's continued reluctance to clean up the contaminated site.
State lapses
The state also did not do very well, according to the report. The Supreme Court ordered an investigation into 1,500 fake encounters in Manipur, Indian workers in the Gulf remained at risk of severe exploitation and journalists and human rights activists continued to be arrested.
“Despite progressive legal reform and court rulings, state authorities often failed to prevent and at times committed crimes against Indian citizens, including children, women, Dalits and Adivasi people,” said the report.
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"Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who campaigned on promises of good governance and development for all, made commitments to improve access to financial services and sanitation for people living in poverty," said the report by the human rights group. "However, the government took steps towards reducing requirements to consult with communities affected by corporate-led projects. The authorities continued to violate people’s rights to privacy and freedom of expression. There was a rise in communal violence in Uttar Pradesh and some other states, and corruption, caste-based discrimination and caste violence remained pervasive."
But it wasn't only the government that came in for criticism. Amnesty noted that civilians continue to be at risk from attacks by armed groups. These groups were responsible for killing and injuring several civilian and government officials in troubled areas across the country, including Jammu and Kashmir, central India and the north-eastern states.
“Armed groups killed and injured civilians and destroyed property in indiscriminate and at times targeted attacks,” the report said. “Their actions also displaced people. Clashes between security forces and armed Maoist groups led to several civilian deaths.”
Assam killings
In Assam, dozens of Muslims died at the hands of armed groups in January and May. In December, the same groups also attacked Adivasis. In other north-eastern states, the groups attacked civilians and caused large-scale displacement.
Other parts of the country also witnessed armed violence. Just before the general election in May, local government and electoral officials were allegedly killed by armed groups in Jammu and Kashmir, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand.
The organisation took a dim view of the increasing lack of corporate accountability in India, pointing to an instance of a questionable Vedanta Resources public hearing in Odisha in August that did not adequately take into account the views of affected communities.
“Thousands of people remained at risk of being forcibly evicted from their homes and lands for large infrastructure projects,” the report said. “Particularly vulnerable were Adivasi communities living near new and expanding mines and dams.”
Reducing participation
The report mentioned changes in laws that put the environment and land ownership at risk and reduced community participation in decision making. This included a December ordinance that did away with the need to seek consent and assess the social impact of upcoming projects on affected communities and an environment ministry decision to weaken community consultation for industrial projects, particularly those involving coal.
Non-governmental organisations were also harassed, the report said, particularly those that opposed large infrastructure and mining projects. A leaked Intelligence Bureau report on such NGOs said that they negatively impacted economic development. The government has since investigated these organisations and blocked foreign funding to them using the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act.
Marking the 30th anniversary of the Bhopal gas leak, the report said that even as the government said it would use medical and scientific data to increase its claims against Union Carbide, survivors continued to suffer from health issues due to the government's continued reluctance to clean up the contaminated site.
State lapses
The state also did not do very well, according to the report. The Supreme Court ordered an investigation into 1,500 fake encounters in Manipur, Indian workers in the Gulf remained at risk of severe exploitation and journalists and human rights activists continued to be arrested.
“Despite progressive legal reform and court rulings, state authorities often failed to prevent and at times committed crimes against Indian citizens, including children, women, Dalits and Adivasi people,” said the report.