Centre rebuts Freedom House's 'partly free' tag to India; terms it 'misleading & incorrect

Hitting out at US NGO Freedom House report titled “Democracy Under Siege”, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting on termed it as 'misleading, incorrect and misplaced'. Issuing a point-by-point rebuttal, Centre assured that India under its federal structure is ruled by multiple parties apart from the one in Centre through a free and fair election conducted by an independent election body. India has been downgraded to 'partly free' from 'free' by Freedom House due to discriminatory policies affecting the Muslim population, crackdown on expressions of dissent and rising violence. India has scored 67 out of 100 in the report.

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Centre slams Freedom House report

In its rebuttal, Centre touched open the points raised in the report regarding various changes in India in the past year. The report has scored India 34/40 in political rights and 33/60 in civil liberties. In 2018, 2019, and 2020, India had been rated as “free” in Freedom House’s reports, though its scores on a scale of 100 had declined during this period from 77 to 71, according to Outlook.

• Discriminatory policies against Muslims in India and North East Delhi riots: Centre assures due process of law was followed irrespective of the 'identity of the alleged instigator'. With respect to the North-East Delhi riots, Centre stated that 'Proportionate and appropriate actions' were taken to control the siituation.
• Use of sedition law: Highlighting that “Public Order’ and ‘Police’ are state subjects, Centre stated measures deemed as fit are taken by law enforcement authorities to preserve it
• Government response to COVID-19 through Lockdown: Pointing out that India has the lowest COVID-19 death rate in the world, Centre highlighted the various steps taken by it during nationwide lockdown to help subjects.
• Government response on human rights organizations: Explaining the functioning of National/State Human Rights Commission, Centre assured that the bodies inquire, investigate and make recommendations in rights violation cases
• Intimidation of academics and journalists and crackdown on expressions of dissent by media: Pointing at a special advisory to States and Union Territories on safety of journalists, Centre stated that the Indian Constitution provides for freedom of expression under Article 19.
• Internet shutdowns: Temporary suspension of the telecom services, including internet, are governed under Centre's 2017 rules, states GOI, adding that temporary suspension of telecom/internet services is resorted to with the over-arching objective of maintaining law and order under strict safeguards.
• FCRA amendment: Stating that Amnesty International had received permission under the FCRA Act only once 20 years ago, Centre stated that the body had done illegal practices which had led to repeated rejections from previous governments, leading to its shut down in India.

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What does the Freedom House Report claim?

Under 'political rights', the US NGO's report scores India high for its free and fair electoral process, political pluralism and participation and government transparency, but it flags weak points like equal representation in parliament, safeguards against official corruption - totalling 34/40. 

On the other hand, under civil liberties, the report scores India low for its media independence, freedom to practice religion, freedom of expression, freedom of assembly, NGO freedom, independent judiciary, police brutality, equal treatment of people under laws, freedom of movement, social freedoms, freedom from economic exploitation. 

It cites instances like tagging people “anti-national”, disinformation, harassment of journalists, mob-lynching, the Babri demolition acquittal, anti-Love Jihad laws, sedition, imposing curfew, FCRA amendment and freezing Amnesty assets, Ayodhya Ram Janmabhoomi verdict, nominating ex-CJI Ranjan Gogoi to Rajya Sabha, migrant crisis during lockdown. But it rates India high for freedom for trade unions, right to own property without state interference totalling it 33/60.

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