Human Rights in India: Binayak Sen

Touted as an emerging superpower and the world’s largest democracy, India is a very complex country with enormous internal problems such as desperate economic inequality, hunger, racism, casteism and religious bigotry. There are pogroms of Christians in Orissa and Muslims in Gujarat. Not surprisingly, the oppressed are fighting back. There is a series of mini-wars and rebellions going in many parts of India. Human Rights Watch notes “a pattern of denial of justice” and holds New Delhi accountable for its “failure to protect women, children, and marginalized groups such as Dalits, tribal groups and religious minorities. Indian security forces are responsible for extrajudicial killings and arbitrary detention.” In Kashmir alone, tens of thousands have been killed. This program looks at the case of Dr. Binayak Sen. It is in many ways a microcosm of the serious issues facing India. Interview by David Barsamian.