Lynchings, Hijab Bans, and Bulldozer Injustice: Will Justice Ever Prevail in the World’s Largest Democracy?

Kolkata: “There are state human rights commissions, the national human rights commission, and the entire police system as well as the judiciary, but human rights violations are increasing with every passing day in India. If people start hitting the roads on every human rights violation, only then will this menace of lynchings, custodial deaths, bulldozer injustice, and other forms of human rights violations be controlled,” claimed Dr Sarfaraz Adil at a function to celebrate International Human Rights Day in Kolkata.

On International Human Rights Day (December 10), several non-government organizations (NGOs) observed the day to highlight the ongoing human rights violations in the world’s largest democracy—from the latest episode of lodging cases against activist Nadeem Khan and fact-checker Mohammed Zubair to the misuse of TADA, POTA, and now UAPA; from selling arms to Israel to the hijab ban in India. The long list of speakers from several areas spoke at length on the most critical issues facing the country.

It was also the 75th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The organizations that were part of the event included the Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR), Sangrami Adhikar Manch, Hawkers Sangram Committee, and Bandimukti Committee. This year’s theme was “Our Rights, Our Future, Right Now,” with the campaign slogan “Dignity, Freedom, and Justice for All” and the call to action “Stand Up for Human Rights.”

Hit the Streets Against Human Rights Violations: Dr Sarfaraz

Dr Sarfaraz continued, “Soon after the Modi government came to power in May 2014, in February 2015, Mohsin Sheikh, an IT engineer in Pune, was lynched. Later, in Rajasthan, Pehlu Khan, a dairy farmer, was lynched. The criminals have become big because we did not oppose them initially. Now, human rights violations are taking place on a large scale in our country.”

The meeting demanded the immediate release of all political prisoners, including Dalit activist Thakur Mani Murmu, Umar Khalid, Saif Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, and Rona Wilson, among others. It also addressed the incarceration of activists like Stan Swamy, GN Saibaba, Sudha Bharadwaj, and Rona Wilson, as well as global hypocrisies in upholding human rights, with particular emphasis on the genocide in Gaza and Palestine.

The program began with the famous song “Gaon Chhodab Nahi, Jungle Chhodab Nahi” (We will not leave our village, we will not leave forests). A Standard 9 tribal girl also sang a song about revolutionary tribal icon Birsa Munda.

Jadavpur University Students Always Stand for Human Rights: Prof Bhaskar

At the beginning of the event, Prof Bhaskar Gupta (VC of Jadavpur University) highlighted the fallacies in the New Education Policy and claimed that Jadavpur’s students have always stood for human rights.

Anti-Human Rights Laws Like UAPA Target Muslims: Sujato Bhadra

Sujato Bhadra of APDR raised the issue of anti-human rights laws. “Out of 62,000, 60,000 were Muslim prisoners under the TADA law. Then came POTA, which did the same. And now UAPA is being used for similar purposes. While the conviction rate under these laws remains very dismal, most of the victims remain Muslims. In October this year, international organizations demanded the abolition of UAPA, but the Modi government has yet to act.”

Sujato also demanded that there should not be capital punishment for any crime. “Every human being can be corrected, and change can take place. There are several examples of it in the world and India. We also oppose the capital punishment recently passed in the Aprajita Bill by the Mamata Banerjee government.”

Prophet Muhammad Gave the World the First Human Rights Charter: Dr Neelam

Dr Neelam Ghazala mentioned how International Human Rights Day came into existence after World War II. India has signed the UN Declaration of Human Rights Charter. She also pointed out that for Muslims, human rights are not a new concept. “Our Prophet gave the world the first human rights charter.”

“There is a fashion of bulldozer justice in India now. There were no illegal buildings earlier in the country, and this government seems to make everyone learn honesty. Houses are being bulldozed without any intimation. Because they are Muslims, several intelligent Muslim youths are kept inside prison, and the judiciary is hand in glove with the government. Was the hijab issue created in Karnataka not a human rights violation?” Neelam questioned.

Selling Arms to Israel Equals Supporting Genocide: Activist Manzar

Manzar Jameel, a prominent activist in the city, raised the issue of Indian businessmen selling weapons to oppressors in Israel, which is conducting genocide in Palestine. “The Indian government should understand that if they are supporting the oppressor, they are participating in genocide. In India, the jal, jungle, and zameen of local inhabitants are being grabbed by the corporates. These did not belong to their fathers but to every Indian.”

Rising Against Hindutva Forces to Protect Activists: Advocate Khurshid

Advocate Khurshid Alam mentioned the harassment of APCR’s Nadeem Khan by Delhi Police. “Khan is being harassed because he used to help and raise the issues of people being prosecuted by the government. There are already several political prisoners languishing in India, so it is high time we rise against the BJP-RSS’s Hindutvawadi forces to stop the prosecution of activists and journalists.”

The other speakers were Dr Siddarth Gupta, Chhotan Das, Nepal Singh, and Father Francis Sinha.