The European Parliament condemned the Indian government for the violence in Manipur and called on it to protect minority rights, coinciding with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s two-day visit to France.

Parliamentarians urged Indian authorities to enable independent investigations into the violence, combat impunity, and lift the internet ban that has been imposed.

The Parliament strongly denounced the nationalistic rhetoric used by high-ranking members of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). In a discussion regarding violations of human rights, democracy, and the rule of law, the ongoing clashes in Manipur were brought into focus during the parliament’s plenary session in Strasbourg, France.

Emphasizing the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights’ concern from October 2020, the resolution urged the Indian government to protect the rights of human rights defenders and address accusations made by human rights organizations against the BJP of “divisive ethno-nationalistic policies.” The Parliament voiced concerns about policies promoting Hindu majoritarianism in the area.

The resolution described the violence in Manipur as erupting along ethnic and religious lines between the predominantly Hindu Meitei community and the Christian Kuki tribe. The violent confrontations have resulted in over 100 deaths, the displacement of more than 40,000 people, and significant destruction of property and places of worship. The resolution further accused the BJP-led government in Manipur of implementing divisive policies that oppress religious minorities in particular.

Despite the Indian government’s assertion that the violence in Manipur is an internal matter, six parliamentary groups tabled the motion on Manipur violence in the European Parliament on June 11. In response to the ethnic clashes in Manipur that have left at least 150 people dead and nearly 60,000 displaced since May 3, Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra declared that the situation was completely internal to India.

  Bharatiya Janata Party, BJP, European Parliament, European Union, France, India, Manipur, Narendra Modi, Strasbourg, Vinay Mohan Kwatra