India took minimum steps to curb human rights violations: US report

The Indian government took “minimal credible steps or action to identify and punish officials who committed human rights abuses,” states the 2024 United States Report on Human Rights Practices in India report, highlighting several violations, including the ongoing ethnic conflict in the northeastern Indian state of Manipurand instances of “transnational repression” targeting individuals abroad.

The report, released on August 12, described the current hostilities between the Kuki and Meitei communities as a human rights concern, including arbitrary killings, police clashes, use of tear gas on civilians, press freedom, unaccounted arrests, violence against journalists and disappearances.

Last year’s report included the killing of Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar, involved with the Khalistan movement. His death strained India-Canada relations after former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged Indian government involvement.

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This year, the report notes the arrest of three Indian nationals in Canada in connection with Nijjar’s killing. The Indian government has denied any involvement, despite the incident being included in the report.

The report additionally includes the second indictment filed by the Department of Justice based on US government allegations, which referred to the murder-for-hire and money laundering charges against Indian government employee Vikash Yadav, with an alleged plot to kill US citizen Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a prominent supporter of the Khalistani movement.

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It also includes claims by civil society groups, diaspora members, academics, and journalists who allege they have faced threats, harassment, arbitrary surveillance, visa denials, and other forms of pressure.

There was no report on the human rights violations against the LGBTQI persons, and no mention of atrocities against Dalits and caste-based killings.

In the 2024 report, sections on political participation, government corruption, and official views on domestic human rights organisations were also not included.

So far, there has been no response from the Ministry of External Affairs.

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