Amritsar, December 10, 2021 (PPI-OT):In a significant development, Dal Khalsa, the Sikh representative organization, convened a conclave of leadership and delegates of struggling minority communities – Kashmiris, Sikhs, Tamils, Nagas, Twiprassa and others – in Amritsar on the World Human Rights Day, today, and deliberated upon the deteriorating human rights situation in India and Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir and persecution of minorities.
The conclave was also aimed at challenging the brutalization, police excesses, growing intolerance and centralization process of the Indian state and expressing solidarity with struggling nationalities, peoples and regional identities.
The participants denounced the recent killing of 15 innocent civilians in Nagaland and held the Indian government responsible for such tragic incidents as they believe that it was a result of the impunity given to the Indian forces under draconian law, Armed Forces Special Powers Act.
They said today’s India is fast degenerating into a totalitarian and majoritarian state where freedom of expression, right to dissent and right to privacy is severely undermined and harassment, torture and arrests are widespread.
They said the repeal of Articles 370 and 35A in IIOJK followed by curbing of civil liberties and fake encounters is a testament to how totalitarianism and majoritarian regimes distort civil liberties. They also condemned the recent arrest of noted Kashmiri human rights defender, Khurram Parvaiz, by India’s notorious National Investigation Agency (NIA).
The speakers said the apathy of the Indian government towards the anti-CAA movement continues, political prisoners continue to languish in jails across the country, Muslims and Dalits continue to live in a climate of fear due to a sustained hate narrative against them. A big banner containing pictures of political prisoners including illegally detained Kashmiris like Masarrat Aalam Butt, Muhammad Yasin Malik, Shabbir Ahmed Shah, Aasiya Andrabi, Khurram Parvez and Asif Sultan was also raised at the venue.
The speakers criticized the Modi regime for refusing to recognize the deaths of 700 farmers and Lakhimpur Kheri incident in which 3 farmers and a journalist were crushed to death. Addressing on the occasion, Atif Gilani, the son of noted Kashmiri intellectual, Professor Syed Abdur Rahman Gilani (late), said that the minority communities will have to struggle together for securing their rights. He said that the fight was on and will definitely bring success.
Neingulo Krome, Secretary of the Nagaland organisation, said though the New Delhi had termed the Nagaland civilian killings by Indian Army as a case of mistaken identity, it was a totally fabricated operation that claimed innocent lives. “The ones who lost lives were local labourers who used to take the same route to reach their work place. After killing them, the forces also tried to brand some civilians as militants by planting weapons and dressing them in camouflage and boots,” he added.
The former secretary general of the organization, Dr Veenuh said after the abolition of Article 370 and 35A in occupied Jammu and Kashmir, the Indian government had turned a blind eye to the rights of Nagaland residents.
“In 2015, the Government of India led by PM Modi and the National Socialist Council of Nagaland had entered an agreement to respect Naga people’s separate identity and existence for sharing the sovereign power to end the violent confrontation once and for all. It was recognised by the Atal Bihari Vajpaee government too. Now, the Modi-led government has refused to implement it,” he said.
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