Dark clouds hover over human rights in India, say activists & journalists
New Delhi: A public meeting organized by a civil society group Janhastakshep in collaboration with the Press Club of India painted a grim picture of the deteriorating human rights situation in India.
According to Kashmir Media Service, titled “Defending Human Rights for Building Democracy,” the event saw prominent rights defenders, lawyers, and journalists underline the increasing criminalization of dissent, the suppression of press freedom and judicial biases that threaten constitutional safeguards.
Press Club of India President Gautam Lahiri highlighted the relentless pressure on journalists, noting how dissenting voices are systematically silenced. “A thriving democracy requires a free press, but India’s media is being muzzled. Journalists face arrests, intimidation, and censorship for reporting inconvenient truths,” he said, pointing to India’s low ranking on the Media Freedom Index.
Lahiri also condemned the Human Rights Commissions for failing to act independently, accusing them of aligning with the government. “The press and marginalized groups—farmers, Dalits, and minorities—are under siege, while the state uses draconian laws like UAPA to crush dissent,” he added.
Senior Indian Supreme Court advocate Colin Gonzalves warned of the judiciary’s growing alignment with the ruling dispensation. “The judiciary is normalizing rhetoric that threatens constitutional values. Judges openly espousing a fascist agenda or denying bail in blatant disregard of legal precedents signals a dangerous erosion of judicial independence,” he said.
He criticized the participation of judges in Hindutva-aligned events and condemned rulings such as the Allahabad High Court’s endorsement of harsh bail restrictions, which he argued contribute to prolonged incarceration of political prisoners.
Fellow advocate Sanjay Parikh decried the government’s move beyond controlling speech to influencing thought, citing the Ayodhya verdict and the Gyanvapi mosque survey decision as examples of judicial decisions that violate established laws like the Places of Worship Act, 1991.
Speakers also addressed the marginalization of Muslim communities and attacks on their places of worship. Parikh called for urgent action to end communal violence and ensure strict enforcement of laws protecting minority rights.
Former Delhi University Teachers Association president Nandita Narain highlighted how changes in education policy are depriving students of critical thinking skills and fostering a reactionary worldview aligned with Hindutva ideology.
Veteran journalist MK Venu spoke about the growing role of independent online media as a counterweight to mainstream outlets dominated by pro-government narratives. “The democratisation of media through smaller platforms offers hope. However, the government is increasingly targeting these outlets to stifle their impact,” he noted.
The meeting concluded with a resolution demanding:
The removal of Manipur Chief Minister Biren Singh for failing to resolve the state’s crisis, immediate cessation of communal attacks on minorities and strict enforcement of the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991 and bail for all political prisoners and student activists unjustly detained under draconian laws.
The event, conducted by Janhastakshep co-convener Anil Dubey, was a sobering reminder of the challenges facing India’s democracy and the urgent need for collective action to defend human rights.
