Clarion India
NEW DELHI – American watch dog group, United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), on Thursday slammed the arrest of anti-CAA activists especially pregnant woman Safoora Zargar.
“During #COVID19 crisis, there are reports #India govt is arresting Muslim activists protesting the #CAA, including Safoora Zargar who is pregnant.
At this time, #India should be releasing prisoners of conscience, not targeting those practicing their democratic right to protest,” reads the tweet put out on official handle of the USCIRF.
During #COVID19 crisis, there are reports #India govt is arresting Muslim activists protesting the #CAA, including Safoora Zargar who is pregnant.
At this time, #India should be releasing prisoners of conscience, not targeting those practicing their democratic right to protest.
— USCIRF (@USCIRF) May 14, 2020
The USCIRF recently recommended to list India as the top religious freedom violator and urged the US government to impose sanction against the country for its failure to protect the minorities especially Muslims.
“In #USCIRFAnnualReport2020, USCIRF recommended #India be designated a Country of Particular Concern for its systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom during 2019. Unfortunately, this negative trend has continued into 2020,” the watchdog group added.
In a vindictive action, Delhi police have arrested many activists who took part in the protests against the discriminatory Citizenship Amendment Act. Jamia student Meeran Haider, Jamia Alumani Association’s President Shifaur Rahman and MBA student Glufisha were arrested amid the lockdown enforced in view of Corona virus.
Other activists, Khalid Saifi, Ishrat Jahan among others were arrested before the lockdown. They are being linked to Delhi’s communal violence. Civil society and Muslim groups condemned these arrests terming them brutal witch-hunt of dissenters and protesters.