‘Victims have become accused’: Rahul, Priyanka move NHRC over ‘brutalities’ on anti-CAA protesters

“Given the role of a reckless state government that views the law and Constitution as mere inconveniences, treats its own citizens like criminals and wears its hostility towards ordinary citizens as a badge of pride, the duty of institution such as the NHRC to act as check and balances and to embody and protect the values enshrined in the Constitution becomes paramount,” the Congress memorandum to the NHRC said.

Congress delegation at the NHRC office in New Delhi.

The delegation submitted a detailed 31-page representation that included videos and photographs as “evidence” of alleged atrocities and human rights violations. After the meeting, Rahul Gandhi, in a tweet, urged the NHRC to act decisively to protect the “Constitutional rights of our citizens”.

Read | UP govt will deal with anti-CAA protesters in its own style: CM Yogi Adityanath

After the meeting, Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi told reporters, “It has been found that there has been a failure to lodge FIRs. Not a single police officer (has been) named as accused. There have been numerous FIRs against protestors in which victims have become accused”.

A delegation of Congress leaders presented the NHRC with evidence of the atrocities against the citizens of UP by the State Govt., which has gone to war against its own people. The NHRC must act decisively to protect the idea of India & the Constitutional rights of our citizens. pic.twitter.com/lR6wcOYjFv

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) January 27, 2020

“We showed videos of BJP and RSS people recruited as police mitras who were unleashed on people. Notices were given to people by administration threatening them against joining protests,” PTI quoted Singhvi as saying.

Uttar Pradesh is the worst-affected state by the protests against the CAA with violence erupting mainly in 12 districts, including Firozabad, Rampur, Meerut, Muzaffarnagar, Bulandshahr and Bahraich. At least 20 people have been killed so far— mostly of bullet injuries from firearms with serious questions being raised concerning the conduct of the UP police and the state administration.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had earlier warned of “badla” on the protesters and ordered that those found responsible for damaging public property during the protests would have to pay for it.