IAMC Weekly India Human Rights Monitor (July 4, 2025)
This Week at a Glance
This week, India was ranked a “high risk” country for torture in a new global index, with experts highlighting systemic abuses and targeting of minorities. A senior RSS leader called for removing “secular” and “socialist” from the Constitution, while states like Assam and Uttar Pradesh ramped up arrests and demolitions targeting Muslim communities under the guise of cattle laws and illegal construction. Meanwhile, a massive rally in Patna demanded the repeal of the Waqf Amendment, while a Sikh temple in the US accused the Hindu American Foundation of acting as an unregistered foreign agent for the Indian government. Also on the US front, IAMC led a coalition effort in collecting over 50 signatures from Muslim, Christian, and Hindu organizations denouncing a Dallas event featuring prominent Hindu supremacist hatemonger Kajal Hindustani. IAMC is also preparing to deliver star performances at a series of panels at ICNA West and in Chicago.
Feature Image: The Indian Awaaz
Top Stories
Danil Shamkin/NurPhoto/Getty
Hindu American Foundation Faces Foreign Agent Allegations Linked to Indian Embassy
A Sikh temple in California has filed a legal complaint accusing the Hindu American Foundation (HAF) of operating as an unregistered foreign agent on behalf of India’s BJP-led government. The group allegedly maintains a “fiduciary” relationship with the Indian embassy in Washington, prompting calls for a U.S. Justice Department investigation under the Foreign Agent Registration Act (FARA).
India ranked ‘high risk’ for torture in global index
A new Global Torture Index by the World Organization Against Torture has ranked India among the world’s “high risk” countries, citing rampant custodial deaths, forced confessions, and widespread impunity under the Modi government.
Assam Police Arrest Nearly 200 in Beef Crackdown
In a sweeping statewide raid, Assam Police arrested 196 people and seized over 1,000 kg of suspected beef under the controversial Cattle Preservation Act. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma praised the action with communal overtones, linking the arrests to Eid and echoing his routine anti-Muslim rhetoric.
(Muslim Mirror)
Harassment in Wake of Hindu Supremacist Processions
Religious processions held by Hindu supremacists in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh have resulted in the harassment and humiliation of innocents. In Uttar Pradesh, a procession of around 5,000 extremists forced food service workers to strip to check their religious identity. In Madhya Pradesh, a Hindu supremacist threw a slipper at a mosque during a procession, sparking protests from local Muslims.
Demolitions Target Muslim Properties and Shrines Across BJP-Ruled States
In a fresh wave of demolitions, authorities in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana razed a Muslim man’s home in Bareilly and two mazars in Sambhal and Panchkula. While officials cited “illegal construction,” the actions followed complaints from Hindu extremist groups and accusations of “cow smuggling” and “mazar jihad,” raising concerns of targeted anti-Muslim crackdowns under the guise of law enforcement.
Hate crimes and discrimination in India
This week, in Haridwar, a 22-year-old Muslim man was brutally beaten by a mob after being identified as Muslim. In Uttar Pradesh’s Raebareli, police raided a Christian prayer meeting and arrested a couple under anti-conversion laws, while in Haryana’s Palwal, cow vigilantes chased and assaulted two Muslim men transporting cattle.
Resistance & Organizing
ANI
Mass Rally in Patna Demands Repeal of Controversial Waqf Law
Tens of thousands gathered at Gandhi Maidan in Patna for a historic “Waqf Bachao, Samvidhan Bachao” rally, demanding the repeal of recent amendments to the Waqf Act. Organized by Muslim civil society groups and backed by opposition voices, the peaceful protest called out government overreach into religious institution.
Once Wrongfully Imprisoned, Abdul Wahid Shaikh Earns PhD on Prison Literature
Abdul Wahid Shaikh—once jailed for nearly nine years on false terror charges—has earned a PhD for his research on literature authored by political prisoners across the Indian subcontinent. Now a noted prison rights activist and teacher, Shaikh’s work highlights the hidden intellectual and poetic contributions of incarcerated voices.
MANUU Alumni Call for Muslim Deputy CM and 40 Assembly Tickets in Bihar
In a bold push for political representation, former student leaders from Maulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU) have demanded that Bihar’s Muslim community—17% of the population—be given real leadership stakes. They are calling for a Muslim Deputy Chief Minister and at least 40 assembly tickets in the upcoming elections.
Defender of the Week
Maktoob
This week, we are spotlighting Fatima Nafis, the mother of missing JNU student Najeeb Ahmed. For nine years, Fatima has tirelessly sought justice for her son, who disappeared after an altercation with members of a student group linked with the largest Hindu supremacist paramilitary group in India, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Despite repeated failures by investigative agencies, she announced this week her decision to move the Supreme Court. Fatima’s resilience has made her a powerful symbol of courage and civil resistance.
Voices from the Ground
“Now, why are we in jail? And what has been achieved? The fascist regime will attempt to crush people like us. After all, when all the constitutional democratic and procedural doors have been shut for Muslims and other minorities of India, the only way left is for the masses to make their presence felt. Masses, the millions, are the real democratic force… People’s mass mobilization is not opposed to democracy but rather it’s the test of its integrity. A nation belongs to the people and if the systems in place and the people in power do not ensure a dignified existence of its diverse communities, it is the democratic duty of the people to rise.”
IAMC in Action
- Prominent hate monger Kajal Hindustani visited Dallas last weekend, so we worked with our coalition partners to collect over 50 signatures from Muslim, Christian, and Hindu civil society groups and religious leaders to condemn the event. See the press release on it here.
- We’re continuing to receive applications for the Indian American Youth Council (IAMYC), a new platform for young leaders who are passionate about minority rights, the reclaiming of Indian Muslim pride, and the fight against Hindu supremacist ideology in India and globally. We’re starting off with open applications for Chair and Vice Chair positions in the Bay Area, Los Angeles, Texas, and New York. IAMYC is open to college students and young professionals – apply now here, and email youthcouncil@iamc.com with any questions.
- We’re continuing to catalogue daily hate crimes against Muslims and other minorities in India on our social media. Follow us on X and Instagram to keep up to date on the situation.
What to Watch Next Week
- Catch IAMC Associate Media Director Safa Ahmed at ICNA West in the Bay Area on July 5 and 6. She’ll be speaking about Hindutva alongside heavyweights in Muslim human rights advocacy – including CAIR’s Zahra Billoo and Imam Khalid Griggs – on a panel titled “Enduring Resilience: The Struggle of the Muslim Ummah,” as well as at two breakout sessions.
- If you’re in Chicago, you can also hear Safa speak at the 2025 Socialism Conference on June 5 at 10 a.m. CST, where she’ll be on a panel to discuss Hindutva and the multiracial far right.
