On Thursday, the European Parliament adopted a resolution on the human rights situation in India.
Following recent violent clashes in the state of Manipur, India, which since May 2023 have left at least 120 people dead, 50 000 displaced and over 1 700 houses and 250 churches destroyed, Parliament strongly urges the Indian authorities to put in place all necessary measures to promptly halt the ethnic and religious violence and to protect all religious minorities.
The resolution notes that intolerance towards minority communities has contributed to the current violence and that there have been concerns about politically motivated, divisive policies that promote Hindu majoritarianism in the area. The Manipur state government has also shut down internet connections and severely hindered reporting by the media, while security forces have been implicated in the recent killings, something that has further increased distrust in the authorities.
MEPs call on the Indian authorities to allow independent investigations to look into the violence, to tackle impunity and to lift the internet ban. They also urge all conflicting sides to cease making inflammatory statements, re-establish trust and play an impartial role to mediate the tensions.
Parliament reiterates its call for human rights to be integrated into all areas of the EU-India partnership, including in trade. MEPs also advocate for the EU-India Human Rights Dialogue to be reinforced and encourage the EU and its member states to systematically and publicly raise human rights concerns, notably on freedom of expression, religion and the shrinking space for civil society, with the Indian side at the highest level.
The text was approved by a show of hands.
