Amnesty International is among the world’s foremost human rights defenders (File)
Guwahati:
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday known as on the centre to ban Amnesty International from working in India, accusing it of conspiring to “defame PM Modi”.
The Chief Minister claimed Amnesty – one of many world’s most recognised human rights advocates – had a “long history of hatching conspiracies against India’s democratic fabric and its leadership.”
“I strongly condemn this conspiracy and demand a ban on activities of such organisations which are hell-bent on defaming and harming our nation,” he declared.
“We all know the role Amnesty (plays) to encourage left-wing terrorism in India and defame India and PM Modi… it is an international conspiracy… Their main work is to create dissatisfaction among the sections of Indian society,” Mr Sarma mentioned.
Amnesty and the Indian authorities have clashed repeatedly previously 12 months over allegations of unlawful international funds and that it by no means registered underneath the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act.
Amnesty has mentioned it’s compliant with all Indian and worldwide legal guidelines required to obtain funds.
In February the Enforcement Directorate attached movable properties worth Rs 17.66 crore as a part of a cash laundering probe. This was after a number of raids on its India’s places of work, and freezing of financial institution accounts in September final 12 months, which compelled it to let go of dozens of employees members.
In a press release Amnesty mentioned: “…the complete freezing of Amnesty International India’s bank accounts by the government of India… brings all the work being done to a grinding halt.”
“This is the latest in the incessant witch-hunt of human rights organisations by the government of India over unfounded and motivated allegations,” the assertion added.
“The continuing crackdown on Amnesty International India over the last two years and the complete freezing of bank accounts is not accidental. The constant harassment by government agencies, including the Enforcement Directorate, is a result of our unequivocal calls for transparency in the government. For a movement that has done nothing but raise its voices against injustice, this latest attack is akin to freezing dissent,” Amnesty mentioned.
Amnesty has linked all motion towards it to stories important of the Narendra Modi authorities, together with people who raised questions on alleged rights violations through the riots in Delhi in February and in Jammu and Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370.
The centre responded saying that human rights could not be an excuse to defy the law of the land.
