End ruthless, inhuman display of power towards vulnerable sections: Women's group to authorities

A women rights group has urged authorities to put an immediate stop to the "ruthless and inhuman" display of power by state agencies towards vulnerable sections of the society during the COVID-19 lockdown and issue orders to this effect.

In a statement, women rights group Saheli said Prime Minister Narendra Modi, chief ministers and many government officials are issuing statements to create awareness about the virus.

"But unfortunately, their repeated messages on social media talk about 'giving a free hand to law enforcement'", it said.

"On the ground, this has meant a 'free hand' for security personnel to stop the poor from stepping out to buy vegetables, beating citizens in minority dominated areas at ration shops, ostracising and harassing those already at the margins of our society who have, for the last several years, led amazing struggles for their rights as full citizens," the statement said.

"We urge the authorities to put an immediate stop to the ruthless and inhuman display of power by the state agencies, and issue orders to this effect. The government at both the Centre and at state levels, needs to prove that they are the government of all, not just the privileged few," it said.

India is currently under the biggest lockdown with around 1.3 billion people asked to stay home in view of the coronavirus outbreak, which has claimed 32 lives and infected over 1000 people in the country.