Mar 04, 2025 09:05 PM IST
India’s permanent representative to the United Nations in Geneva, Arindam Bagchi termed tbhe UN human rights chief’s remarks as unfounded, baseless and cherry-picking of situations
New Delhi: India has rejected UN human rights chief Volker Türk’s remarks on the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, and called for a better understanding of the country’s diversity and openness instead of the “cherry-picking of situations”.
India’s permanent representative to the United Nations in Geneva, Arindam Bagchi, delivered to the response to Türk’s comments at an ongoing debate on global human rights at the 58th session of the UN Human Rights Council.
“As India was mentioned by name, let me begin by emphasising that the world’s largest democracy continues to be a healthy, vibrant and pluralistic society. Unfounded and baseless comments in the [UN human rights chief’s] Update contrast jarringly with ground realities,” Bagchi said in a statement on Monday.
The people of India have “repeatedly proven wrong such misplaced concerns” and there should be a better understanding of India and its ethos of diversity and openness, which define the “robust and often cacophonous civic space”, he said.
Bagchi said Türk had referred to Jammu and Kashmir after a year that “stood out for that region’s improving peace and inclusive progress, be it the large-turnout provincial elections, the booming tourism, or the rapid development pace”.
He also took issue with Türk erroneously referring to the region as Kashmir, and said India is concerned about the UN Global Update’s “oversimplifications of complex issues; sweeping and generalised remarks; use of loose terminologies; and apparent cherry-picking of situations”.
Bagchi, however, did not respond to Türk’s comments on the situation in Manipur, which has witnessed widespread turmoil and unrest since May 2023 because of clashes between two communities.
While participating in the debate on Monday and speaking on theme of global turbulence and unpredictability amid growing conflict and divided societies, Türk said India’s democracy and institutions are its greatest strength, “underpinning its diversity and development”. He also said democracy requires constant nurturing of participation and inclusion at all levels of society.
In this context, Türk said he is “concerned by the use of restrictive laws and harassment against human rights defenders and independent journalists resulting in arbitrary detention and a diminished civic space, including in Kashmir”.
Türk also sought “stepped-up efforts to address violence and displacement in Manipur, based on dialogue, peacebuilding and human rights”.
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