New Delhi: Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Friday expressed concern about the “global silence” on the alleged human rights violations against Hindus in neighbouring countries. He termed it the “most disheartening aspect” of the plight of religious minorities in India’s neighbourhood.
“Stateless refugees who had to flee to Bharat under severe repression for sinning choosing to follow their conscience from our neighbourhood were opposed in the name of human rights,” he said, while addressing the Foundation Day of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in New Delhi.
“They are exposed. They are mercenaries of something antithetical to human rights. Look at the kind of barbarity, torture, and traumatised experience of boys, girls, and women. Look at our religious places being sacrilege,” he said.
Dhankar called for greater attention to the humanitarian crises faced by Hindus in certain regions, pointing to the lack of global outcry.
“Being too tolerant of such transgressions is not appropriate. Evidence in episode after episode is piling up that the ‘deep state’ is engaging in lawfare against rising powers,” he said.
The vice president, while underlining the safety of minorities in India, said, “We have seen the condition of minorities in several nations. Geographically, several nations’ names have been eradicated when it comes to their demographic composition. Surprisingly, the small segment left behind had to seek refuge in this country.”
He said that human rights cannot and should not be used as a tool of foreign policy to exert power and influence over others. “Naming and shaming is a degraded form of diplomacy. You have to preach only what you practice. Look at our school system—we don't have the kind of shootings that some countries claiming to be very developed have regularly. Think of those nations that turn Nelson's eye to such horrendous transgressions of human rights,” he said.
Referring to the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), Dhankar said, “Look at the prime example of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). There couldn’t be a better gesture of social magnanimity collectively expressed by an act of parliament.”
He said that the Act means to provide refuge to stateless individuals fleeing persecution in their countries for following their conscience.
Dhankhar said at the same time, the rights of other non-Hindu refugees are repeatedly invoked, surprisingly, also in the name of human rights, when cases are filed in the Supreme Court.
“This has exposed a political agenda aimed at disrupting the demographic balance of the country, which could have global repercussions. History is testimony that nations have completely lost their identity by not addressing this issue. It has global repercussions from the perspective of human rights,” he said.
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