State of exception: On India, the UN CERD report

The U.N. Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) has expressed "grave concern" over India's human rights record, citing reports of violence against minority ethnic and ethno-religious groups, Dalits, and non-citizens. The report highlights issues such as manual scavenging, mass refoulement of Rohingya, citizenship deprivation via NRC, electoral roll deletions, and the use of laws like FCRA, UAPA, AFSPA, and PMLA to restrict civil society. CERD also noted India's stance that caste bias falls outside the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) and concerns about the independence of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC). The article criticizes India's dismissal of these concerns and emphasizes the need for reforms, data collection, and strengthening enforcement.