INTERNATIONAL THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2016 Amnesty criticizes for intolerance of dissent

Arbitrary arrests, caste-based bias, extrajudicial killings and attacks

NEW DELHI: Amnesty International has joined a protesters in custody. charges “is further evidence of the present gov- growing chorus accusing India of supporting a The report is the latest criticism to be leveled ernment’s deeply authoritarian nature, intoler- climate of intolerance by cracking down on dis- at Modi’s government after a year fraught with ant of any dissent, setting aside India’s long- sent through arbitrary arrests, caste-based dis- communal tension as members of India’s gov- standing commitment to toleration and plurality crimination, extrajudicial killings and attacks on erning Bharatiya Janata Party try to impose their of opinion.” freedom of expression. brand of hyper-nationalism. Dozens of Indian Modi and his government have remained The rights group said in its annual global authors, scientists, historians and film industry largely unmoved by the criticism, saying little in report, published yesterday, that India’s Hindu workers have returned national awards to response other than to denounce it as anti-gov- nationalist government led by Prime Minister protest the trend, which has seen arrests of stu- ernment propaganda designed to distract from Narendra Modi had failed to prevent hundreds dent protesters, the murder of three atheist the government’s agenda. Meanwhile, Modi has of incidents of communal violence, usually scholars and mob killings over rumors of cow insisted he is prime minister for all of India, and involving members of the Hindu majority pitted slaughter. Among India’s majority Hindu popula- not just Hindus, and urged the nation to instead against Muslims or other minorities. Instead, rul- tion, cows are considered sacred. focus on growing the economy. The Amnesty ing party lawmakers and politicians were fueling On Monday, both the New York Times and Le report also said that prisoner safety remained a religious tensions with provocative speeches Monde newspapers ran editorials lambasting serious concern, and that “over 282,000 prisoners - and justifications for the violence, it said. Modi’s government. The Times editorial board 68 percent of the total prison population - were Amnesty’s report also highlights the govern- said the ongoing confrontation between Hindu pretrial detainees.” Most prisons are badly over- KABUL: Russian Ambassador to Afghanistan Alexander Mantytskiy (L) hands over a ment’s continued harassment of civil society nationalists and free-speech advocates “raises crowded, while torture and abuse in police or judi- AK-47 rifle to Afghan National Security Adviser Hanif Atmar (centre L) during a cere- groups critical of official policies over the past serious concerns about Modi’s governance and cial custody led the country’s Supreme Court last mony at a military airfield in Kabul yesterday.— AFP year, as well as government legal action aimed may further stall any progress in Parliament on year to demand that state governments install at controlling foreign funds for nongovernmen- economic reforms.” closed-circuit television cameras within the next Commission releases disputed tal organizations. “Over 3,200 people were being Last week, a group of 133 university profes- two years. It questioned the Indian Parliament’s held in January under administrative detention sors from around the world - including linguist defeat of legislation to decriminalize same-sex rela- 2014 Afghan election results on executive orders without charge or trial,” the Noam Chomsky, Nobel-winning novelist Orphan tions, noting that the country was still adhering to a report said, adding that state authorities used Pamuk and economist James Galbraith - said the colonial-era law that makes homosexuality a crime KABUL: Afghanistan’s Independent Election trust the election commission,” Abdullah’s “anti-terror” laws to illegally hold activists and recent arrest of a student leader on sedition punishable by up to a decade in prison. — AP Commission publicly confirmed the official deputy spokesman, Javid Faisal, told results of the disputed 2014 election yester- Reuters. “If it was a trustworthy commission day, more than a year and a half after the and if it was loyal to its work, then why did vote that elevated former finance minister they not announce its results on time? From Ashraf Ghani to the presidency. our point of view, their announcement does The 2014 election, touted as the first not mean anything.” peaceful democratic transfer of power in Afghanistan, descended to the brink of 10,000 Kalashnikovs chaos as Ghani and his rival, Abdullah Russia delivered 10,000 Kalashnikovs to Abdullah, traded accusations of fraud. the Afghan government yesterday, with According to the official numbers, Ghani officials saying they were for the fight won a runoff election in June 2014 with “against terrorism”, a day after Kabul hosted 55.27 percent of the vote to Abdullah’s talks on reviving the peace process with the 44.73 percent. It was at the request of both Taleban. The assault rifles, delivered with candidates, who now share power as part of pomp at a ceremony on the tarmac at a U.S.-brokered unity government, that the Kabul’s military airport, will be directly election commission delayed the release of transferred to security forces, said President the official numbers, said the commission’s Ashraf Ghani’s national security adviser chief, Ahmad Yousuf Nuristani. Hanif Atmar. “We are trying to continue our “We had given election results on a CD efforts for peace, but in the meantime our to both candidates at that time,” he told nation should have the ability to defend Reuters. “We did not announce the certified itself,” Atmar said. He said “international ter- results at that time, as both candidates had rorism” in Afghanistan was a threat not only agreed that based on our country’s national to the country and the region, but also to interests, not to announce the results. We, “our friends in Russia”. based on our country’s national interest, Despite the $60 billion spent by respected this suggestion. Now it is our Washington over more than 14 years to duty to release them.” equip and train the Afghan security forces, In the end, roughly 800,000 votes of they have struggled to contain the resur- more than 7 million overall ballots separat- gent Taleban. ed the candidates, according to the com- Kabul is trying to resume a dialogue with mission, which faced heavy criticism over its the militants, and after talks with the US, NEW DELHI: Lawmakers belonging to communist parties shout slogans during a protest at Indian parliament house in New Delhi yesterday. —AP handling of the vote. China and Pakistan on Tuesday said it More than 850,000 ballots were invali- expects to relaunch the stalled peace dated after months of recounting under the process by early March. Indian police arrest more supervision of the United Nations. Of those Russia is not part of the quartet. In a invalidated votes, more than 567,000 were recent interview with state news agency Ria cast for Ghani, while more than 284,000 Novosti, Zamir Kabulov, the Kremlin’s spe- were cast for Abdullah, who now serves in a cial representative to Afghanistan, students on sedition charge custom-made role as chief executive. Efforts described Washington’s efforts to restore to broker a power-sharing agreement peace as “futile”. At yesterday’s ceremony NEW DELHI: Indian police said yesterday they had hearing last week in an apparently orchestrated are not allowed to enter without permission from uni- dragged on in 2014 over Abdullah’s insis- Russia’s ambassador in Kabul Alexander arrested two students wanted in a sedition case that attack. The latest arrests come amid mounting con- versity authorities. tence that the results, which he regarded as Mantitski said cooperation between his has sparked major protests after the pair gave them- cern about freedom of speech in India. Several A student leader who asked not to be named said fraudulent, not be released, according to country, NATO and the United States in selves up following nearly two weeks on the run. authors last year returned a prestigious award in the three were in contact with police and prepared to officials at the time. Afghanistan ended in April 2014 “at the ini- Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya surrendered protest at what they called government inaction over cooperate in their investigations. The February 9 rally Yesterday Abdullah’s office criticized the tiative of the West”. The decision was taken to police at midnight on Tuesday after a court refused the murder of atheist scholars and the lynching of a was held to mark the hanging of over a election commission for delaying the in retaliation for Russia’s annexation of to grant them protection from arrest over a rally at their Muslim man suspected of eating beef. deadly attack on India’s parliament in 2001. Guru release of the certified numbers. “We do not Crimea. — Agencies university, at which a group allegedly shouted anti- denied plotting the attack carried out by Kashmiri sep- India slogans. Parliamentary debate aratists and some say he was not given a fair trial. The pair are accused of being among the organisers Delhi police spokesman Rajan Bhagat said Khalid The case has caused outrage at both ends of the of the event at the prestigious Jawaharlal Nehru and Bhattacharya would be produced before the court political spectrum. On Wednesday the student wing of Shootout near Karachi University (JNU) in New Delhi. They face the same later. “They will be produced in the court today. We will the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came out on the charge as JNU student union leader , ensure their security,” he said of the students, who are streets to defend the government’s actions. whose arrest earlier this month has brought thousands both in their twenties. Khalid’s lawyer Kamini Jaiswal The left-leaning Congress party, which governed kills 12 militants of students and teachers onto the streets. They accuse told AFP the two men had decided to cooperate with India until it was ousted by the BJP in a 2014 election, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist gov- police, who had issued a wanted notice for them at the has been particularly vocal in support of the JNU stu- KARACHI: A senior Pakistani police offi- from the hideouts of the slain militants. ernment of misusing the British-era sedition law to time of Kumar’s arrest on February 12 and alerted air- dents. “Nothing is more unfair than labelling a universi- cial says 12 militants have been killed Karachi is the capital of Pakistan’s south- crack down on dissent. ports to stop them travelling abroad. ty as anti-national,” said Congress lawmaker Jyotiraditya during a shootout on the outskirts of the ern Sindh province, which has witnessed Rights activists have long urged India to repeal The two students have said they went into hiding Scindia during a parliamentary debate on the row yes- port city of Karachi. multiple terrorist attacks in recent years. the law, which carries a maximum sentence of life out of fear for their safety following the attack on terday. “Blacklisting a university of 8,000 students for imprisonment and has frequently been used against Kumar, but were ready to face justice. Another three the actions of eight students is absolutely unaccept- The official, Rao Anwar, says seven of Pakistan’s army chief Gen. Raheel critics of the government of the day. Many were out- JNU students who face the same charge but were not able.” Modi’s ministers have stood firm and warned of the slain men belonged to the Pakistani Sharif has ordered troops to launch the raged when Kumar was assaulted by right-wing placed on the police wanted list remain on the campus, tough action against anyone engaging in “anti-nation- anti-Shiite Lashkar-e-Jhangvi militant final phase an operation to purge mili- lawyers as he appeared in court for a preliminary where they are protected from arrest because police al” behaviour. —AFP group while five were from al-Qaida’s tants in a tribal region near the Afghan branch in the Indian subcontinent. border. In a statement, the military says Anwar told reporters yesterday that Sharif issued this instruction yesterday Silence may not be golden as the militants, who were killed in the past during a visit to North Waziristan, where 48 hours, were involved in killings of civil- the army launched a massive operation ians and attacks on security forces. to eliminate local and foreign militants in Anwar says officers recovered bomb- June 2014. The military claims it has now Modi lays low during unrest making material, guns and assault rifles cleared 90 percent of the region. — AP NEW DELHI: Amid the clamor of unrest sweeping nationalist alliance would win, but with a sharply been known to step in, not always with happy conse- university campuses and the state of near reduced majority. Congress would double its seat quences. After the arrest for sedition of Kanhaiya Jayalalithaa tattoos New Delhi, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has share, according to the poll for India Today magazine Kumar, a student leader in New Delhi, Home Minister decided on a strategy that risks emboldening political published last week. circulated a fake tweet that falsely sug- opponents: silence is golden. gested a campus protest had the support of a notori- for her birthday Advisers describe a leader who is on top of events, LEADERSHIP VACUUM? ous Pakistani militant. but who prefers not to get sucked into rowdy debate Modi’s silence on unforeseen events contrasts with Delhi’s police chief showed no remorse when offi- CHENNAI: Supporters of controversial this year, including from Prime Minister on India’s public square. In recent weeks, thousands of his reputation as an effective communicator, through cers failed to prevent lawyers manhandling Kumar in Indian politician Jayalalithaa Jayaram Narendra Modi.“May Almighty bless her students have protested across the country over the rousing speeches and social media, when broadcast- court, while education minister Smriti Irani backed a queued up yesterday to get tattoos of the with a long life, filled with good health,” the arrest of a student leader for alleged sedition, while ing his vision of inclusive growth and development for decision to fly Indian flags, from 207-foot (63-metre) hugely popular leader to mark her 68th premier tweeted. Suppporter V. Kanniga, anger among the powerful Jat community over caste- India’s 1.3 billion people. flagpoles, on campuses across the country as a birthday. Special prayers were also offered from the state capital Chennai, said she based job quotas spilled into deadly clashes in When he does retreat from public view, aides have reminder to “anti-national” elements. —Reuters at temples in the southern state of Tamil decided to have Jayalalithaa’s face tattooed Haryana. “He (Modi) believes that his popularity comes from being seen as a serious politician who on her arm to show devotion to the leader. gets on with his work,” said a leader of Modi’s ruling “It was painful but now I am happy,” the party, who spoke on condition of anonymity. “He does 54-year-old said, adding that her husband not believe in giving a running commentary.” also has one. “I can show my forearm proud- An adviser said that Modi, 65, would instead give a ly to the party functionaries and my rela- sober assessment of recent unrest to parliament, tives,” she said, at a special tattoo stall set up which convened this week for its budget session in a by Jayalalithaa’s party. climate of confrontation that is likely to further stall Tattoo artist V Chandankumar said most his ambitious economic reform agenda. people preferred to ink their arms, but Modi’s reticence, also evident during floods last some asked for her face on their chests and year and a high profile attack by militants in early backs. Mass weddings have also been tak- 2016, has undermined the image of a decisive leader ing place, with brides and grooms wearing who swept to power in May, 2014, defeating a armbands with her photo, according to the Congress government led by the taciturn Manmohan CNN-IBN TV news website. Singh. “The silence raises questions about being on Jayalalithaa has earned the loyalty of her top of your brief,” said Milan Vaishnav, an associate at supporters with a series of populist the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. schemes over the years, including giving “That conversation has begun: Modi is a person Nadu and phone lines were set up by her away gold, goats and kitchen appliances at who we thought was a decider; a CEO-like leader. But party so fans could send in their best wish- election time. if we are now getting signals that he is not necessarily the effective administrator we thought he was, that is es. A former movie star known as “Amma” But she has also drawn accusations of cor- becoming a problem.” (Mother), Jayalalithaa has long enjoyed a ruption and an autocratic governing style. A new opinion poll showed Modi’s popularity cult following in prosperous Tamil Nadu She returned as chief minister last year after holding up, while Congress has bounced back from its where she has won three terms as chief being cleared of illegally amassing wealth dire election showing of 2014, validating a strategy of NEW DELHI: Indian student activist Umar Khalid (center) and Anirban Bhattacharya (left) walk- minister since 1991. Birthday wishes poured while in office. Her party is the third largest in blocking reforms and latching on to protests as they ing through the campus of New Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) on their way to sur- in for Jayalalithaa, who faces a state election the national parliament. — AFP flare up. If a general election were held now, Modi’s rendering to Indian authorities. — AFP