India April 2006
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COUNTRY OF ORIGIN INFORMATION REPORT INDIA APRIL 2006 RDS-IND COUNTRY OF ORIGIN INFORMATION SERVICE INDIA APRIL 2006 Contents Paragraphs 1. SCOPE OF DOCUMENT .................................................................... 1.01 2. GEOGRAPHY .................................................................................. 2.01 3. ECONOMY ...................................................................................... 3.01 4. HISTORY ........................................................................................ 4.01 1991 to present ........................................................................... 4.01 Congress (I) and economic reform................................................ 4.01 Emergence of BJP........................................................................ 4.02 Tension with Pakistan................................................................... 4.04 Religious strife .............................................................................. 4.19 General elections 2004................................................................. 4.25 State assembly elections .............................................................. 4.29 Indian Ocean Tsunami – 26 December 2004................................ 4.37 Heavy snow and avalanches ........................................................ 4.43 Monsoon....................................................................................... 4.44 EARTHQUAKE - 2005…………………………………………………….4.47 Disaster management................................................................... 4.48 BOMB BLASTS ...................................................................................4.49 5. STATE STRUCTURES ....................................................................... 5.01 The Constitution ........................................................................ 5.01 Citizenship and nationality ............................................................ 5.04 Political system........................................................................... 5.13 Judiciary...................................................................................... 5.24 Legal rights/detention ................................................................ 5.34 Death penalty ............................................................................... 5.49 Internal security.......................................................................... 5.53 Military .......................................................................................... 5.64 Police and intelligence agencies................................................... 5.67 Militias .......................................................................................... 5.69 External security......................................................................... 5.75 Prisons and prison conditions .................................................. 5.76 Military service............................................................................ 5.90 Medical services ......................................................................... 5.94 HIV/AIDS ...................................................................................... 5.108 Disabled persons.......................................................................... 5.123 Mental health ................................................................................ 5.128 Educational system .................................................................... 5.136 6. HUMAN RIGHTS .............................................................................. 6.01 6.A HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES ................................................................... 6.01 Overview ..................................................................................... 6.01 Freedom of speech and the media ............................................ 6.25 Treatment of journalists ................................................................ 6.38 Freedom of religion .................................................................... 6.47 Introduction................................................................................... 6.47 Muslims ........................................................................................ 6.66 Ayodhya mosque.......................................................................... 6.76 Gujarat riots - 2002....................................................................... 6.85 Other incidents ............................................................................. 6.104 Christians ..................................................................................... 6.110 Sikhs and the Punjab.................................................................. 6.134 Sikh religion and historical background......................................... 6.134 2 This Country of Origin Information Report contains the most up-to-date publicly available information as at 10 March 2006. Older source material has been included where it contains relevant information not available in more recent documents INDIA APRIL 2006 Militant violence in Punjab ............................................................ 6.149 Human rights concerns in Punjab ................................................. 6.159 Methods of ill treatment................................................................. 6.169 Prosecution of security force personnel ........................................ 6.173 Punjab State Human Rights Commission ..................................... 6.181 The Committee for Co-ordination on Disappearances in Punjab (CCDP) ................................................................ 6.185 The People’s Commission on Human Rights................................ 6.188 Nanavati Commission................................................................... 6.189 The current situation in Punjab ..................................................... 6.193 Internal relocation for Sikhs .......................................................... 6.202 Buddhists and Zoroastrians ...................................................... 6.207 Freedom of assembly & association......................................... 6.209 Political activists............................................................................ 6.215 Naxalites....................................................................................... 6.226 Tripura ......................................................................................... 6.245 Assam .......................................................................................... 6.250 Manipur ........................................................................................ 6.258 Employment rights ..................................................................... 6.263 People trafficking........................................................................ 6.274 Freedom of movement.................................................................. 6.278 6.B HUMAN RIGHTS - SPECIFIC GROUPS ................................................. 6.282 Ethnic groups ............................................................................. 6.282 Kashmir and the Kashmiris........................................................ 6.283 Historical background ................................................................... 6.283 Political developments in Kashmir ................................................ 6.290 Militant/political groups.................................................................. 6.314 Militant violence ............................................................................ 6.322 Recent militant violence................................................................ 6.335 Human rights concerns in Kashmir: summary............................... 6.353 Disappearances............................................................................ 6.359 Special Security Laws................................................................... 6.364 Police and security force impunity................................................. 6.370 Detention ...................................................................................... 6.373 Ineffective judiciary ....................................................................... 6.379 State Human Rights Commission ................................................. 6.380 Women ........................................................................................ 6.383 Overview ...................................................................................... 6.383 Legislation .................................................................................... 6.392 Gender imbalance ........................................................................ 6.400 Marriage ....................................................................................... 6.406 Domestic violence......................................................................... 6.417 Dowry ........................................................................................... 6.428 Gender discrimination................................................................... 6.437 Societal violence........................................................................... 6.439 Rape ............................................................................................ 6.449 Women in politics.......................................................................... 6.463 Women in the workplace..............................................................