London: New Human rights group Amnesty International has condemned the flogging of Muslim men by Indian police in the state of Gujarat and called it a “serious human rights violation” showing “utter disrespect towards the law”.
“We remind the Gujarat Police that punishment is never a legitimate objective for a law enforcement action, even if using less lethal weapons. In this case, it blatantly ignored the guiding principles of legality, necessity, proportionality and accountability.”
Muslim politicians and activists say the flogging is “a new low” in India’s treatment of its Muslim minority. Prominent Muslim parliamentarian Asaduddin Owaisi condemned the flogging by the police in Gujarat.
He tweeted, “Every day, there is more evidence of mass radicalization. Floggings and mob violence by cops have become common. Targeted violence against Muslims is treated as ‘justice’.” A New Delhi-based academic and activist Apoorvanand said, “the state apparatus is complicit in targeting” Muslims.
He added, “Police is involved in flogging and police is bulldozing houses of Muslims, which is completely illegal. India is no longer a country that is ruled by law. It is now a country ruled by street thugs related to the ideology of Hindutva.” Apoorvanand said, the Indian state apparatus was serving the cause of the “Hindutva goons” and that Muslims “cannot expect justice in this country”.
“They [Muslims] are not facing extra state violence but the state has merged itself with the non-state Hindutva network. This has proved that all Hindu festivals have become the cause of misery for non-Hindus.” Religious tensions in India have heightened since PM Modi’s BJP came to power in the country in 2014.
BJP has been ruling Gujarat for more than 25 years and the next state elections are due in December. BJP is deliberately creating religious tensions ahead of the state elections. Ironically, Indian Police and Justice system remains complicit to right wing Hindu Nationalist in their agenda of marginalizing/ lynching Muslims. Web Desk
