Global rights body condemns arbitrary demolition of Afreen Fatima’s house in Uttar Pradesh
Prayagraj: The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, an international organization, has issued a strong condemnation of the arbitrary demolition of Afreen Fatima's house, along with the arbitrary detention of her mother and sister, and the ongoing arbitrary detention and criminalization of her father, Javed Mohammad.*
The house of prominent Muslim activists Afreen Fatima and her father, Javed Mohammad, was demolished by the Uttar Pradesh government last week amidst a series of repressive actions against the Muslim minority in the state. The demolition occurred following nationwide protests organized by Muslim communities on June 10, 2022, in response to anti-Islamic statements made by two leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Afreen Fatima, the national secretary of the Fraternity Movement, is a well-known woman human rights defender and Muslim activist who has been vocal against the discriminatory Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) passed in 2019. She has previously served as the president of the students’ union of Women’s College at the Aligarh Muslim University and as a councilor of the Jawaharlal Nehru University students’ union.
The Observatory condemned the human rights violations and acts of reprisals against Afreen Fatima and her family, emphasizing that these actions occurred within the context of an ongoing crackdown against the Muslim minority and their defenders in Uttar Pradesh. The organization noted that Indian authorities in Uttar Pradesh have misused legal provisions to illegally demolish houses and properties of Muslim individuals and families in protest-affected areas. Human rights defenders and activists speaking out against discriminatory policies and laws, including the CAA, have faced criminalization, arbitrary detention, and stigmatization.
The global rights body called on the authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Javed Mohammad and cease all acts of harassment against Afreen Fatima and her family. The organization urged the provision of adequate housing and comprehensive reparation for the illegal demolition of their house. Additionally, it demanded an immediate, thorough, and impartial investigation into the demolition of Afreen Fatima’s house. The investigation aims to identify all responsible parties, bring them before an independent tribunal, and sanction them in accordance with the law.
The letter from the rights body was sent to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Chief Justice of India, Allahabad High Court Chief Justice, and other top officials in the country, highlighting the international concern regarding the human rights violations and reprisals faced by Afreen Fatima and her family.
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EC notice to Bihar Deputy CM over alleged possession of two voter IDs
Patna: The Election Commission (EC) on Sunday issued a notice to Bihar Deputy Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Vijay Kumar Sinha over allegations of possessing two voter identity cards and being registered in two separate assembly constituencies.
The action follows a complaint by RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, who earlier in the day alleged that Sinha was a registered voter in both Lakhisarai and Bankipur assembly constituencies, located in different districts. Speaking to reporters, Yadav questioned what steps had been taken against Sinha.
According to officials, the notice, issued by the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) for Bankipur constituency, seeks an explanation from Sinha by August 14 on why he holds two voter IDs.
The controversy coincided with a protest by opposition MPs, including Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, and Sharad Pawar, who marched from Parliament House towards the EC headquarters in New Delhi against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls in Bihar. The protestors, wearing white caps marked with a red cross over the words “SIR” and “vote chori,” were stopped by police near Transport Bhawan.
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