A Sad Day for Indian Democracy: Amnesty International India is forced to shut down
The Hindutva Juggernaut Knocks down yet another symbol of a vibrant democracy
29 Sep 2020
Just minutes ago, Amnesty International India announced that it has decided to shut its doors.
Its press release indicates that a series of vindictive actions by the Modi government, ending in freezing of Amnesty’s bank accounts, had left it no other option but to close.
A well-known and world-wide defender of Human Rights, and a visible symbol of a vibrant democracy, has become the latest victim of a majoritarian Hindutva government bent on suppressing all forms of dissent.
So far as we can see, the actions of the government may have been prompted by the courageous work of Amnesty in publishing its findings on the inhumanity of the Kashmir lock-down and on the complicity of the Delhi police in the recent pogroms.
We are attaching Amnesty’s press release, which explains its reluctant but unavoidable decision to close its operations and to lay off all its employees. The press release also includes a chronology of the events, which clearly illustrate the determination of the government to close the organization at all costs.
We are truly concerned and fearful for the future of the Amnesty staff who have been made jobless. Unless there is an international outcry about this inexcusable action, we are afraid that it will only further accelerate the Modi government’s systematic attacks on people and organizations who are risking everything to defend Indian democracy.
Please join us in condemning the harassment and shut-down of Amnesty Interntional India. Please contact your lawmakers in your State and in D.C. to tell them that we must act to strongly push back on this undemocratic act of the Modi government. And please feel free to share the Amnesty Press Release with the lawmakers. (see button below)
Also, please add your voices to international expressions of solidarity that are sure to follow today and the rest of the week.
P.S. HfHR made a last ditch effort to get some support for AI India from U.S. Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, who asked for and got a full personal briefing directly from AI India in a zoom call on 9/3. Our hope was that his known proximity to the BJP government might help in convincing the government to step back from the abyss.
Unfortunately, but not surprisingly, Rep. Raja K. did not lift a finger, confirming to us finally that he is indeed the lead enabler of Hindutva Nationalism in the U.S. and in India.
Sad!