The Congress on Monday moved the National Human Rights Commission demanding action against alleged police atrocities on anti-CAA protesters in Uttar Pradesh, alleging that victims have been made accused in case-related FIRs and no police officer has been named.
The Congress delegation, led by senior party leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, met top NHRC officials here and made a detailed 31-page representation which included videos and photographs as "evidence" of alleged atrocities and human rights violations.
After the meeting, Rahul Gandhi alleged the UP government has "gone to war against its own people" and urged the NHRC to act decisively to protect the "Constitutional rights of our citizens".
"A delegation of Congress leaders presented the NHRC with evidence of the atrocities against the citizens of UP by the State Govt., which has gone to war against its own people. The NHRC must act decisively to protect the idea of India & the Constitutional rights of our citizens," he said in a tweet.
The party also submitted a memorandum to the NHRC in which it has alleged that the BJP government in the state "treats its own citizens like criminals".
"Given the role of a reckless state government that views the law and constitution as mere inconveniences, treats its own citizens like criminals and wears its hostility towards ordinary citizens as a badge of pride, the duty of institutions such as the NHRC to act as checks and balances and to embody and protect the values enshrined in the Constitution of India becomes paramount," the Congress memorandum said.
It further said the NHRC has a "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."
After the meeting, Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi told reporters, "In Uttar Pradesh, there has been gross human rights violations. We have submitted videos and photos to the NHRC."