Amnesty helping erstwhile anti-democratic political elites in J&K

The report has not cared to take a holistic view and has overlooked the violations of the masses' rights under the previous regimes in the region.

In its latest report on India, Amnesty International alleges that since the abrogation of Article 370 of Indian Constitution on August 5, 2019 and the resultant revocation of the special status of the erstwhile State of Jammu & Kashmir, civil society and media have been subjected to a vicious crackdown in the region. There has been an increase in unlawful detention. By August 1, 2022, the number of writ petitions increased by 32 per cent.

The report says that at least six people, including journalists, human rights activists and academics, have been prevented from travelling abroad. At least 27 journalists have been detained and arrested. There has been a 12 per cent increase in the use of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Amnesty claims that it reviewed the cases on the website of the J&K High Court as well as the data of India's National Crime Record Bureau. One, however, finds it hard to trust the Amnesty report.

Impartial observers say the Amnesty report has not cared to take a holistic view of the rights scenario in Jammu and Kashmir. It has overlooked the violations of the masses' rights under the previous regimes in the region. The report has also not cared to check the background and nature of detentions since August 2019. It seems to be designed just to foment the feeling of distrust in the government of the day and help the erstwhile anti-democratic political elites return to power.

The Amnesty's overall pattern of reporting has been biased. In February this year, it published a report, "Israel's apartheid against Palestinians: a cruel system of domination and crime against humanity." The report was designed "to characterize the right of Jews to sovereign equality in their historic homeland as a violation of the [international] legal order."

To substantiate this anti-semitic thesis, the Amnesty report resorted to all kinds of distortions. The original draft of the report said, "The system of apartheid originated with the creation of Israel in 1948." The reality of history is far different. It is well known that the Whiteman had practised apartheid in different parts of the world for centuries.

The opposition to Jews in their land in modern times can be traced back to the 1920s. It was based on pure racism. An Islamist doctrine goes that no other peoples can be sovereign in land that has ever been dominated by Muslims.

Times are changing. More and more nations today see in Israel a source of stability and prosperity in the region. Yet the Amnesty published a report that would not but likely provoke increased hatred and violence against Jews in Israel as well as in the diaspora.

(Jagdish N. Singh is a senior journalist based in New Delhi. He is also Senior Distinguished Fellow at the Gatestone Institute, New York)

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