Highlights Of Last Month – December, 2021

A forensic analysis of Bhima Koregaon accused Rona Wilson’s phone by Amnesty International finds evidence that it was infected with Pegasus spyware three months before his arrest. The Guardian

In Gurgaon Hindu right wingers are disrupting Muslims’ prayers in public spaces and accusing them of “land jihad” – grabbing land where they pray. Infact the issue is a failure to allocate enough space for mosques. The protests echo a 2011 ban on offering prayers in the street of Paris. The BBC

Speaking up is not Anti-National, Silencing people is! This one slogan by 30+ organizations in 15 countries around the world condemns growing attacks on human rights in India on Human Rights Day.

On Human Rights Day, FoundationTLS, a diaspora group projects Yati Narsinghanand’s speech on the walls of the International Court of Justice, Hague. The video, which says he wants to “eradicate Islam” has been viewed on Facebook 32 million times. A petition calls for his arrest.

Diaspora groups welcome the release of Bhima Koregaon accused Sudha Bharadwaj after being incarcerated for more than three years without trial.

At least 13 civilians shot dead by the army in India’s Nagaland state after soldiers opened fire on villagers thinking they were ‘militants’. Al Jazeera

In a Federal Senate speech, Australian Greens Senator Mehreen Faruqi criticizes the Australian Government’s refusal to call out “Modi Government’s far-right nationalist politics.” NRI Affairs

UN experts urge Indian authorities to stop targeting Kashmiri human rights defender Khurram Parvez and release him immediately.

By failing to hold Modi to account, Biden is perpetuating deepening religious persecution against Indian minorities. Despite United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) recommendations, India has not been listed as a Country of Particular Concern; just weeks after taking office, Biden chooses Modi as one of the world’s first leaders to meet, Secretary of Defence and Secretary of State visit India and make no mention of India’s appalling human rights; US Charge d’Affaires Atul Keshap chooses to meet RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat; all have failed to hold any substantive dialogue on India’s assault on democracy. Al Jazeera

Hindus for Human Rights, a diaspora group leads an initiative of letters being written by US residents to members of Congress calling on them to publicly condemn calls for genocide against Muslims in India made by Hindu extremist leaders during a Dharma Sansad (“Religious Parliament”) in the city of Haridwar, at which BJP politicians were in attendance. This event, at which an oath to harm Muslims if necessary to make “a Hindu-only nation,” was also reported by the New York Times.

NYS Council of Churches, an USA based organization of Christian denominations committed to doing justice, draws attention to the violence against Christians, Muslims and Dalits.