Geneva: Expressing “great concern” over the Citizenship Amendment Act and reports of police inaction during the violence in Delhi, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet on Thursday called on Indian political leaders to prevent further violence.
While addressing the 43rd session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland, Bachelet said: “Indians in huge numbers, and from all communities, have expressed – in a mostly peaceful manner – their opposition to the Act, and support for the country’s long tradition of secularism. I am concerned by reports of police inaction in the face of attacks against Muslims by other groups, as well as previous reports of excessive use of force by police against peaceful protestors.”
Noting that 800 people still remain under detention in Jammu and Kashmir, the human rights chief alleged “Schools, businesses and livelihoods have been disrupted by the continued heavy military presence, and no steps have been taken to address allegations of excessive use of force and other serious human rights violations by security forces.”
Bachelet accused the authorities in Jammu and Kashmir of imposing excessive restrictions on the use of social media even as internet and mobile services have been partly restored following an order from the Supreme Court.
The official death toll in northeast Delhi’s riots has risen to 42.