Pakistani minister condemns systematic human rights abuses against Sikhs in India

Ramesh Singh Arora, Pakistan’s Punjab Minister for Human Rights and Minority Affairs, has criticised what he described as systematic human rights violations against Sikhs and other minority communities in India.

Speaking to journalists at an international conference in Baku titled “Racism and Violence Against Sikhs and Other Minorities in India: The Reality on the Ground,” Arora said that India’s history is marked by numerous instances of state-backed violence, Caliber.Az reports per local media.

He cited the period following the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, when extrajudicial killings and mass reprisals were carried out against innocent Sikhs.

The minister was addressing an event organised by the Baku Initiative Group (BIG), which focused on the human rights situation in India, particularly the treatment of Sikhs and other religious minorities.

Arora noted that representatives of the Sikh diaspora from Canada, the United Kingdom, Europe, and Pakistan attended the conference. They raised concerns over human rights violations affecting not only Sikhs but also Muslims, Dalits, and Christians.

He added that in recent years, there has been a sharp rise in the persecution of Muslims, while over 700 cases have been reported in which Christians were prohibited from practising their religious rituals.

The minister emphasised that the Sikh community continues to seek justice for the events of 1984, including the release of individuals who have been imprisoned for decades without proper legal proceedings.

Arora praised the efforts of the Baku Initiative Group and expressed gratitude to its leadership, the people of Azerbaijan, and media representatives for drawing attention to human rights issues.

By Aghakazim Guliyev