BENGALURU: The CPI(ML) Central Committee has condemned the NIA raids on civil society activists in Bengaluru, Jammu & Kashmir and Delhi. The committee alleged that though the NIA claims the raids were to crack down on “terror funding”, it was a transparent excuse to harass and silence all those expressing concern for the rights of the people of J&K.
“By using the NIA to crackdown on human rights defenders, humanitarian groups, journalists, and citizens, the Modi regime is seeking to ensure that there are no witnesses to its crimes against the people of J&K,” the committee alleged in a statement.
“The groups and individuals targeted by the NIA have a long and impressive track record of humanitarian work. The Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS), for instance, has researched and documented reports on unmarked mass graves, fake encounters, custodial torture, sexual violence and the impact of violence on children in J&K.
The JKCCS has also pursued the cause of a credible probe to ensure justice for the Kashmiri Pandits killed in the Valley,” the statement said. “In Bengaluru, the NIA raided the home of Swathi Sheshadri, a concerned citizen who has responded conscientiously to people in need and consistently raised human rights concerns in her city and other parts of India,” the statement added.