Uphold human rights, democratic values in relations with India: Euro Parliament insists

A European Parliament resolution on India, which seeks to address the critical concerns surrounding human rights and religious freedom issues in India, has expressed concern over "violence, increasing nationalistic rhetoric, and divisive policies" and called upon Indian political leaders to refrain from making inflammatory statements, insisting on the importance of upholding "human rights and democratic values" in EU-India relations.

The resolution raises serious concerns about the situation in Manipur and condemns the discriminatory Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). It urges the European Council, European Commission, and the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy to press the Indian government to uphold the constitutionally enshrined right to the free practice of religion. Additionally, it calls for measures to counter hate speech against religious minorities and demands accountability for perpetrators.

Furthermore, the resolution highlights the importance of media freedom, the protection of media professionals, and the creation of a safe and democratic environment for human rights and environmental defenders, indigenous people, Dalit rights defenders, political opponents, and trade union activists. It calls for an end to the use of sedition, broader foreign funding, and terrorism charges to target critics, emphasizing the independence of the judiciary and advocating for the release of political prisoners.

The resolution also addresses the harmful effects of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act on civil society organizations. It calls on the European Commission and European Council to urge Indian authorities to end caste-based discrimination and grant rights to Adivasi communities under the Forest Rights Act.

In response to the resolution, Claudio Francavilla, Associate EU Advocacy Director at Human Rights Watch, remarked, "The European Parliament resolution on EU-India relations is an indictment of Narendra Modi’s government. Silence by India’s international partners has effectively green-lighted continuing abuses, and the European Parliament deserves praise for breaking it. Other EU institutions, EU governments, and India’s western partners should urgently make clear to Modi’s government that its crackdown on rights will have consequences for India’s bilateral relations on the world stage."

Rasheed Ahmed, Executive Director of the US diaspora advocacy group, Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), while welcoming the European Parliament's resolution, said, "We applaud the European Parliament for its principled stand on issues of human rights in India. We eagerly anticipate its implementation by the European Council and European Commission, ensuring the advancement of religious freedom and the protection of minority and marginalized communities".

Comments

When Pakistanis whispered: ‘end military rule’ — A Moscow memoir

During the recent anti-terror operation inside Pakistan by the Government of India, called Operation Sindoor — a name some feminists consider patently patriarchal, even though it’s officially described as a tribute to the wives of the 26 husbands killed in the terrorist strike — I was reminded of my Moscow stint, which lasted for seven long years, from 1986 to 1993.

Ahmedabad's civic chaos: Drainage woes, waterlogging, and the illusion of Olympic dreams

In response to my blog on overflowing gutter lines at several spots in Ahmedabad's Vejalpur, a heavily populated area, a close acquaintance informed me that it's not just the middle-class housing societies that are affected by the nuisance. Preeti Das, who lives in a posh locality in what is fashionably called the SoBo area, tells me, "Things are worse in our society, Applewood."

Tracking a lost link: Soviet-era legacy of Gujarati translator Atul Sawani

The other day, I received a message from a well-known activist, Raju Dipti, who runs an NGO called Jeevan Teerth in Koba village, near Gujarat’s capital, Gandhinagar. He was seeking the contact information of Atul Sawani, a translator of Russian books—mainly political and economic—into Gujarati for Progress Publishers during the Soviet era. He wanted to collect and hand over scanned soft copies, or if possible, hard copies, of Soviet books translated into Gujarati to Arvind Gupta, who currently lives in Pune and is undertaking the herculean task of collecting and making public soft copies of Soviet books that are no longer available in the market, both in English and Indian languages.

RP Gupta a scapegoat to help Govt of India manage fallout of Adani case in US court?

RP Gupta, a retired 1987-batch IAS officer from the Gujarat cadre, has found himself at the center of a growing controversy. During my tenure as the Times of India correspondent in Gandhinagar (1997–2012), I often interacted with him. He struck me as a straightforward officer, though I never quite understood why he was never appointed to what are supposed to be top-tier departments like industries, energy and petrochemicals, finance, or revenue.

Environmental report raises alarm: Sabarmati one of four rivers with nonylphenol contamination

A new report by Toxics Link , an Indian environmental research and advocacy organisation based in New Delhi, in collaboration with the Environmental Defense Fund , a global non-profit headquartered in New York, has raised the alarm that Sabarmati is one of five rivers across India found to contain unacceptable levels of nonylphenol (NP), a chemical linked to "exposure to carcinogenic outcomes, including prostate cancer in men and breast cancer in women."

PharmEasy: The only online medical store which revises prices upwards after confirming the order

For senior citizens — especially those without a family support system — ordering medicines online can be a great relief. Shruti and I have been doing this for the last couple of years, and with considerable success. We upload a prescription, receive a verification call from a doctor, and within two or three days, the medicines are delivered to our doorstep.

A conman, a demolition man: How 'prominent' scribes are defending Pritish Nandy

How to defend Pritish Nandy? That’s the big question some of his so-called fans seem to ponder, especially amidst sharp criticism of his alleged insensitivity during his journalistic career. One such incident involved the theft and publication of the birth certificate of Masaba Gupta, daughter of actor Neena Gupta, in the Illustrated Weekly of India, which Nandy was editing at the time. He reportedly did this to uncover the identity of Masaba’s father.

Revisiting Gijubhai: Pioneer of child-centric education and the caste debate

It was Krishna Kumar, the well-known educationist, who I believe first introduced me to the name — Gijubhai Badheka (1885–1939). Hailing from Bhavnagar, known as the cultural capital of the Saurashtra region of Gujarat, Gijubhai, Kumar told me during my student days, made significant contributions to the field of pedagogy — something that hasn't received much attention from India's education mandarins. At that time, Kumar was my tutorial teacher at Kirorimal College, Delhi University.

A sector under siege? War and real estate: Navigating uncertainty in India's expanding market

I was a little surprised when I received an email alert from a top real estate consultant, Anarock Group , titled "Exploring War’s Effects on Indian Real Estate—When Conflict Meets Concrete," authored by its regional director and head of research, Dr. Prashant Thakur. I had thought that the business would wholeheartedly support what is considered a strong response to the dastardly terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Operation Sindoor.

Search This Blog