India continues to retain the repressive laws of British colonial rule and turns them into weapons against minorities even today, Bhai Moninder Singh, Chairman of the Sikh Federation, said during his speech at the international conference titled “Racism and Violence Against Sikhs and Other National Minorities in India: The Reality on the Ground,” dedicated to the Indian government’s repressive policies against ethnic minorities, APA reports.
The representative of the Sikh community noted that the continued application of laws inherited from the British colonial period poses a serious threat to human rights in India today: “India still retains the repressive laws of British colonialism and turns them into weapons against minorities. These laws are not used to ensure justice, but to break political will and silence dissenting voices.”
The speech emphasized that laws initially introduced by the British, which allowed detention without trial, were later renewed under various names. Today, this approach continues through the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). According to the speaker, this law is widely used, particularly in Punjab and Kashmir, to detain political activists, journalists, and dissidents for long periods without charges or trial.
Bhai Moninder Singh also recalled that Article 124A of the Indian Penal Code — the concept of “sedition” — is a direct legacy of the British era. It was noted that this article was adopted by the colonial authorities in 1870 and is still used today against minorities, especially Sikhs, Muslims, and Kashmiris. The speaker cited as an example the charging of three young Sikhs under this article in 2019.
The federation chairman stated that these legal mechanisms contradict India’s international human rights obligations and are incompatible with the country’s self-image as a democracy.
