WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, expressed his concern about the violence and clashes in Delhi, and said that President Trump’s failure to publicly voice concern about the clashes or express support for the human rights of all Indians during his visit to India is simply unacceptable.
“I am deeply concerned about the impact and consequences resulting from the shocking communal violence that unfolded in Delhi this week, particularly as it relates to India’s democracy and human rights. On Sunday, clashes erupted between supporters and opponents of the Citizenship Amendment Act, which I have previously warned threatens India’s long history of secularism and democratic values,” Sen. Menendez said in a statement. “Those clashes unfortunately spiraled into wider communal violence that killed dozens and injured hundreds more.”
He urged Indian authorities to step in and defend the communities being targeted in Delhi to prevent the violence from escalating further.
“As the world’s largest democracy, the Indian government must do more to defend all of its citizens’ rights, including the right to peaceful protest,” Sen. Menendez said. “Likewise, President Trump’s failure to publicly voice concern about the clashes or express support for the human rights of all Indians during his visit to India is simply unacceptable. The United States must be a leading voice in standing up for democratic values and human rights, including protection of religious minorities. I urge the Trump Administration, and the rest of the international community, to condemn the violence in Delhi and press the Indian government to protect all persons in India regardless of their religion.”
