Six US Democratic lawmakers have urged Secretary of State Marco Rubio to raise concerns with India over alleged excessive use of force against student protesters, detention of demonstrators and surveillance of protests linked to the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP).
The lawmakers – Pramila Jayapal, Ilhan Omar, Jim McGovern, Rashida Tlaib, Eleanor Holmes Norton and Jesus Garcia – also accused the Indian Embassy in Washington and consulates in other American cities of deploying photographers to monitor protesters demonstrating in support of the CJP.
Rubio is scheduled to visit India next week and meet External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in Mumbai.
“We write with concern regarding a pattern of repression, wrongful detention, and excessive use of force by security forces during student protests in Delhi and other localities across India,” the congresspersons said in a letter to Rubio on Friday.
The lawmakers cited CJP protests against then education minister Dharmendra Pradhan and ongoing demonstrations seeking the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar as examples of the alleged excessive use of force against protesters.
Jayapal also raised concerns over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), referring to the alleged “purge” of 130 million voters from India's draft electoral rolls, and expressed support for the CJP.
India's Ambassador to the US, Vinay Mohan Kwatra, had criticised Jayapal's remarks and described them as “unacceptable interference in India’s internal affairs”.
“The free exercise of fundamental freedoms and the right to vote is core to the democratic identities of both the United States and India,” the lawmakers said.
“We ask that you use the occasion of your visit to raise these issues of great mutual concern to our two peoples,” they said.
The letter drew criticism from Democratic leader and former White House adviser Ajay Jain Bhutoria, who accused Jayapal of interfering in India's internal affairs.
“India is the world's largest democracy with its own courts, free press and 900M+ voters. Congress has no business lecturing New Delhi on its internal affairs and undermines a vital US-India partnership. Focus on US problems,” Bhutoria, who was the adviser to former president Joe Biden, said on X.
The lawmakers urged Rubio to press the Indian government to initiate thorough, transparent and independent investigations into alleged human rights violations linked to law enforcement responses to protests.
They also called for the release of individuals detained in contravention of Indian and international law for peacefully exercising their rights to freedom of expression and assembly.
In addition, the lawmakers asked Rubio to investigate reports that Indian diplomatic missions had engaged in the surveillance and intimidation of protesters in the United States.
They also urged the US government to assess whether India had engaged in a consistent pattern of intimidation or harassment against individuals in the US and was therefore ineligible for arms sales under the Arms Export Control Act.
