By Matters India Reporter

New York: An international human rights watchdog has noted an increase in violence against religious minorities and poor in India.

“Vigilante violence aimed at religious minorities, marginalized communities, and critics of the government—often carried out by groups claiming to support the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) — became an increasing threat in India in 2017,” said Kenneth Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch that defends the rights of people in 90 countries worldwide, spotlighting abuses and bringing perpetrators to justice.

The Indian “government failed to promptly or credibly investigate the attacks, while many senior BJP leaders publicly promoted Hindu supremacy and ultra-nationalism, which encouraged further violence,” Roth said in his latest report – India Events of 2017 – Human Rights Watch.

He further noted that in India dissent was labeled anti-national, and activists, journalists, and academics were targeted for their views, “chilling free expression. Foreign funding regulations were used to target nongovernmental organizations critical of government actions or policies.”

“Lack of accountability for past abuses committed by security forces persisted even as there were new allegations of torture and extrajudicial killings, including in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Chhattisgarh, and Jammu and Kashmir,” Roth said.

The international monitoring body found some positive in signs from Indian judiciary.

“Supreme Court rulings in 2017 strengthened fundamental rights, equal rights for women, and accountability for security forces violations. In August, the court declared the right to individual privacy “intrinsic” and fundamental under the country’s constitution, and emphasized the constitution’s protections, including free speech, rule of law, and ‘guarantees against authoritarian behavior,’” Roth noted.

The reported also delineated the Violent Protests, Impunity for Security Forces, Treatment of Dalits, Tribal Groups, and Religious Minorities, Freedom of Expression, Civil Society and Freedom of Association, Women’s and Girls’ Rights, Children’s Rights, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Death Penalty, Foreign Policy, and Key International Actors.

Roth is an American attorney who has been the executive director of Human Rights Watch since 1993.