India has strongly criticized a recent report by the US State Department, which alleged “significant human rights abuses” in Manipur following violent incidents in the state last year. The Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, denounced the report during a weekly media briefing, stating that it displayed a deep bias and a poor understanding of India. Jaiswal emphasized that the report held no value and encouraged others to adopt a similar stance.
The executive summary of the ‘2023 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: India’ highlighted the ethnic conflict between the Meitei and Kuki communities in Manipur, which was cited as a cause of the alleged human rights abuses. The report also mentioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s condemnation of the incident as “shameful” and his call for action.
Additionally, the report referenced a 60-hour search conducted at the Delhi and Mumbai offices of the BBC. It noted that the search occurred shortly after the broadcaster released a documentary on PM Modi.
While tax authorities explained the search as motivated by irregularities in the BBC’s tax payments and ownership structure, the report also seized equipment belonging to journalists uninvolved in financial processes.
India’s response to the report reflects its strong disagreement with the allegations and its rejection of its credibility, asserting that it does not accurately represent the human rights situation in Manipur.
