Rahul, Priyanka Gandhi seek NHRC intervention in Uttar Pradesh

Top Congress leaders, led by Rahul Gandhi, on Monday knocked at the doors of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) demanding action against the alleged police brutalities on the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protesters in Uttar Pradesh.

A Congress delegation, including Rahul, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Abhishek Singhvi, Jitin Prasada, met NHRC Chairman H L Dattu and members here and handed over a 31-page memorandum and videos of the alleged police brutalities and human rights violations in Uttar Pradesh.

“There is a systematic process being put in place across the country. They are including Police Mitras to brutalise the people,” Rahul told the NHRC members.

Besides the 31-page memorandum, the Congress delegation also handed over photographs and video footage of the police atrocities against the anti-CAA protestors.

Singhvi accused the Uttar Pradesh Police of recruiting BJP and RSS activists as Police Mitras who have been targeting anti-CAA protestors.

“It has been found that there has been a failure to lodge FIRs. Not a single police officer (has been) named as accused. There have been numerous FIRs against protestors in which victims have become accused,” he alleged.

Rahul reminded the NHRC of its “glorious history” of addressing injustices when all other institutions have fallen short.

“We hope and expect that this instance will not be an exception to that legacy,” the Congress delegation told the NHRC members.

Singhvi said the Congress has given detailed facts including on “deaths of 23” people and also details on how they were killed “as some were shot in the chest”.

The memorandum submitted by the Congress said photos and videos uploaded by witnesses, ground reports and other “unbiased” media reports show police firing
and mercilessly beating of the protesters, in some cases even minors.