As Modi lands in Paris, European Parliament expresses concerns over Hindu majoritarianism, situation in violence-hit Manipur

India said that European Parliament’s interference in its internal affairs reflects the colonial mindset.

Even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday landed in Paris for a two-day visit, the European Parliament, now holding its plenary at Strasbourg in northeastern France, urged his government to take all necessary measures to immediately end the ethnic and religious violence in Manipur in India.

The European Parliament adopted a resolution expressing concerns about “politically motivated, divisive policies promoting Hindu majoritarianism” in the northeastern state of India. It took note of the “accounts of partisan involvement by security forces in the killings” resulting in increased distrust in the authorities in the state.

New Delhi rejected the resolution, calling it an unacceptable interference by the European Parliament in the internal affairs of India.

Also Read | It is absolutely our internal matter: India ahead of debate in EU parliament on Manipur situation

Arindam Bagchi, the spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, stated that the move by the European Parliament had “reflected a colonial mindset”.

The lower house of the bicameral legislature of the European Union adopted the resolution on a day the prime minister commenced his two-day visit to Paris on an invitation from President Emmanuel Macron.

Modi will be the guest of honour at the Bastille Day parade in the capital of France on Friday.

His state visit to Washington DC last month had also come under a bit of a shadow in the wake of former United States president Barack Obama’s comment on the need to protect the rights of the Muslims in Hindu-majority India. As many as 75 Democrat members of the US Congress had even written to President Joe Biden requesting him to convey to his guest concerns over reports of growing religious intolerance, shrinking of political space, curbs on freedom of the press and erosion of human rights in India.

The Members of the European Parliament on Thursday expressed concerns over the clashes between the Meitei and Kuki ethnic communities in Manipur.

A fierce ethnic clash between the majority Meiteis and the minority Kuki tribal communities started on May 3. The clashes started after the High Court ordered the Bharatiya Janata Party’s government in the state to take a decision on granting the Scheduled Tribe status to the Meiteis within four weeks. The Kukis took out a protest march as they feared the ST status for the Meiteis might cut into their own shares in the reservation pie.

The European Parliament noted that at least 120 people had been killed and 50,000 had been displaced in the violent clashes that had left over 1,700 houses, over 250 churches and several temples and schools destroyed in Manipur. It stated that intolerance towards religious and belief minorities, including Christians, contributed to the violence. It also took note of the appeal by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to India to safeguard the rights of human rights defenders, raising concerns over shrinking space for civil society.

It strongly urged the authorities in India to take all necessary measures and make the utmost effort to promptly halt the ongoing ethnic and religious violence, to protect all religious minorities, such as Manipur’s Christian community, and to pre-empt any further escalation.

“Indian authorities at all levels, including the judiciary, are seized of the situation in Manipur and are taking steps to maintain peace and harmony and law and order. The European Parliament would be well advised to utilize its time more productively on its internal issues,” Bagchi, the spokesperson of the MEA, stated.

The resolution adopted by the European Parliament called on all sides in Manipur to exercise restraint and urged political leaders to cease inflammatory statements, re-establish trust and play an impartial role in mediating and de-escalating tension. It also denounced in the strongest terms “any nationalistic rhetoric”.

The European Parliament stressed that those who were critical of the conduct of the government should not be criminalised.

The resolution was moved in the European Parliament by five groups – the Verts/ALE (or the Greens and the European Free Alliance), the S&D (the Socialists and Democrats), the Renew, the People’s Party of Europe (PPE) and the European Conservatives and Reformist (ECR). They account for almost 80 per cent of the total 705 members of the European Parliament.