A prominent international rights body has alleged that charges filed against performers of Pune-based cultural group 'Kabir Kala Manch' is politically motivated and called on India to conduct an independent review.
"The Indian authorities should not conflate shared sympathy for concerns about oppression and social inequity expressed by the Maoists with criminal complicity in violence," said Meenakshi Ganguly, South Asia director at Human Rights Watch.
"The government should ensure that peaceful activists can speak out without fear of terrorism charges," she said.
In a statement, the Human Rights Watch alleged that India's counter-terrorism and sedition laws have been widely misused to target political opponents, tribal groups, religious and ethnic minorities, and Dalits.
Amendments made to the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in 2008 and 2012 could result in further misuse, it said.
In 2011, authorities in Maharashtra charged 15 people with being members of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist) eleven of them have been arrested, six of whom are members of Kabir Kala Manch, a cultural group of singers, poets, and artists.
The group, largely consisting of Dalit youth, uses music, poetry, and street plays to raise awareness about issues such as oppression of Dalits and tribal groups, social inequality, corruption, and Hindu-Muslim relations, the rights body said.
"This is not the first time social activists have come under attack or been arbitrarily arrested on unsubstantiated accusations of Maoist links" said Ganguly.
She added that wrongful arrests of peaceful activists only hurt the government's image and provide a fertile ground for Maoist propaganda.
"Instead of arresting people who are using art to raise their voices against poor governance and social malaise, the government should focus on better safeguards for fundamental freedoms," she said.
"Too often, police, frustrated by their inability to stem criminal acts by various armed groups, have misused the law to arrest critics, social activists, or ideological supporters of these groups," she added.
