A leading human rights group has upbraided the Indian government for failing to stop ‘incidents of religious violence’, citing their leaders’ polarising speeches as a trigger of tensions.Amnesty International said in its 2015-16 annual report that ‘growing intolerance’ had led to attacks on journalists, authors, artists and rights activists.The London-based rights body warned against the worldwide assault on freedoms with many governments ‘brazenly’ breaking international law, including an ‘intensified crackdown on key freedoms’ in India. Amnesty rebuked Indian authorities for ‘failing to prevent many incidents of religious violence, and sometimes contributing to tensions’.“Scores of artists, writers and scientists returned national honours in protest against what they said was a climate of growing intolerance,” the report stated on India. “Authorities have clamped down on civil society organisations critical of official policies and increased restrictions on foreign funding. Religious tensions have intensified and gender and caste-based discrimination and violence remained pervasive.” it further stated.Aakar Patel, executive director of Amnesty India, said that “India had seen several backslides on human rights. The government intensified restrictions on civil society organisations...”However, “what is heartening is that there has been opposition to the erosion of rights. The outrage around incidents of religious intolerance, a Supreme Court ruling striking down an oppressive law on free speech online – these offer hope that 2016 can be a better year for human rights in India.” he optimistically added.Published in The Express Tribune, February 26, 2016.