IAMC Weekly India Human Rights Monitor (November 7, 2025)
This Week at a Glance
This week, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused the Election Commission and BJP of orchestrating large-scale voter fraud in Haryana, claiming over 2.5 million votes were “stolen.” The Committee to Protect Journalists urged immediate protection for journalist Rana Ayyub after she received death threats from an overseas caller, while Christian rights groups reported a 500% rise in anti-Christian attacks since 2014. In Kashmir, a new government order demanding journalists’ personal and financial details has intensified fears of surveillance and harassment. Meanwhile, hate crimes continued across the country, from fake encounter killings and mosque confiscations to caste violence. On the US front, IAMC and our coalition partners announced the second event in our two-part webinar series on addressing divisions created by Hindu supremacy within the diaspora.
Top Stories
Opposition Leader Rahul Gandhi claims 2.5 million votes manipulated in Haryana
Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi has accused the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the BJP of “stealing” votes during the Haryana Assembly elections, to ensure the BJP’s victory. According to Gandhi, over 2.5 million votes were stolen in Haryana, including 521,000 duplicate voters, 93,174 invalid voters, and 1.9 million bulk voters.
Fact-Finding Team Reports Police Torture of Family in Custodial Death Case
This week, a fact-finding team presented evidence suggesting that police in Nizamabad staged the killing of a Muslim man, 24-year-old Sheikh Riyaz, as a fake encounter to cover up a custodial death. The team also provided horrifying testimonies from Riyaz’s family, who reported that they were harassed and sexually tortured by police.
(Alishan Jafri)
Attacks Against Christians Increased by 500% Since 2014: Report
Christian rights activists released a report stating that there’s been a 500% rise in the number of hate crimes targeting Christians since Prime Minister Narrendra Modi came to power in 2014. “Between 2014 and 2024,” the statement notes, “incidents of violence against Christians increased from 139 to 834 incidents – a 500% surge over just ten years. The total number of documented incidents across this 12-year period reached 4,959 cases, affecting Christian individuals, families, and institutions nationwide.”
Fear amongst journalists in Kashmir as new order sought background details, salary slips
The recent directive where the Department of Information, Jammu and Kashmir, in various districts, have sought details on the background of journalists, including salary slips for the last six months, has raised criticism from many journalists in the Valley. They alleged this is a new harassment technique in the crackdown on journalists. In Kashmir, journalists are already facing massive censorship, with many alleging they were forced to stop writing to keep their families safe.
Hate crimes and discrimination in India
In Uttar Pradesh, police arrested four Hindu men for attempting to incite anti-Muslim sentiment by writing “I love Muhammad” on temple walls. Across Varanasi, six mosques have received confiscation notices over alleged tax dues, while right-wing groups in Agra stoked outrage over a man offering namaz near the Taj Mahal. Meanwhile, in Himachal Pradesh, three teachers were charged for assaulting a Dalit boy and putting a live scorpion in his pants.
Resistance & Organizing
Global activists at Bangkok event stand with Kashmiri rights defender Khurram Parvez
At the 16th International Civil Society Week (ICSW) taking place in Bangkok, where over a thousand civil society activists have gathered, the inaugural plenary session expressed solidarity with Kashmiri human rights defender Khurram Parvez, who has been imprisoned since November 2021 under India’s draconian anti-terror law, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
Tamil Nadu’s Ruling Party moves Supreme Court against SIR, calls it “constitutional overreach”
Tamil Nadu’s ruling party, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), has moved the Supreme Court against the Election Commission of India’s decision to conduct a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state, calling it an act of “constitutional overreach” that could result in large-scale disenfranchisement. The petition warns that the burden of producing documents will disproportionately impact marginalized groups, who are least likely to possess the prescribed proofs.
Muslim Entrepreneur Rebuilds Temple Worth Over $100,000 in Karnataka
Syed Ullah Sakhaf, a Muslim businessman from Karnataka’s Channapatna, fully financed the building of a Hindu temple, costing over $100,000. Sakhaf, who heads the SK Group, has also previously funded various Hindu temple and Muslim shrine constructions. Speaking at the inauguration, he said his goal was to set an example of brotherhood for the younger generation.
Defender of the Week
This week, we’re spotlighting Urzeeba Qayoom Bhat, who has fought a lonely battle for over 15 years for justice for her brother, Umer Qayoom, a 17-year-old killed in police custody during the 2010 Kashmir protests. Refusing to let his story be buried by state silence, Urzeeba has turned digital spaces into tools of remembrance and resistance, running social media pages that document court proceedings, expose official apathy, and keep Umer’s memory alive.
Voices from the Ground
“Umer’s case is not just about my brother; it reflects what so many families in Kashmir have gone through. In 2010 alone, more than 120 people were killed by security forces. Families like those of Tufail Mattoo, Wamiq Farooq, and many others are still waiting for justice, just like us. Each of these stories shows the same pattern: excessive force, no FIRs, no accountability, and endless court delays. By keeping Umer’s story alive, I aim to keep the truth of Kashmir’s human rights crisis alive.”
IAMC in Action
- IAMC is proud to join our coalition partners at Savera for a two-part webinar series addressing the rise of anti-Indian racism, as well as the urgent need for bridge-building in a diaspora that has long been under attack from Hindu supremacists. Our first webinar will be on Tuesday, November 4, at 7:00 pm EST; our second will be on Tuesday, November 11, at 7:00 pm EST. You can register for both events here.
What to Watch Next Week
- On November 9, 2025 IAMC will co-host a NJ Premier of Saffron Kingdom at Teaneck theater, Sunday, Nov, 9th at 3:00 pm. The film explores the Kashmir conflict through a family’s journey from Srinagar in the 1990s to Atlanta in 2019, and is a response to the erasure of Kashmir history. Come meet Arfat Sheikh, who will be receiving an award for this film after the screening and will participate in the panel discussion with Kashmiri Hindu professor Mona Bahn.
- IAMC Associate Media Director Safa Ahmed will be speaking at a webinar on Hindutva in America, organized by the Rutgers Center for Security, Race, and Rights and the American Constitution Society. You can register for the event here.
- Diaspora Indians for Liberation is a new national network for young Indian Americans interested in community organizing. Learn more about their mission by reading their zine here, fill out their interest form here, and follow them on Instagram @wearedil.
