India has strongly objected to remarks by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) concerning Saturday’s events in New Delhi, describing the office’s concerns as unwarranted and an unacceptable interference in the country’s internal affairs.
In a statement issued on Sunday, New Delhi defended its record on democratic rights, stating that India is the world’s largest democracy and that its Constitution guarantees the right to peaceful assembly.
The statement said strong constitutional institutions, an independent judiciary and a free media play an important role in safeguarding this right.
It added that, as in other democracies, the exercise of the right to peaceful assembly in India is subject to the maintenance of public order and safety.
Law enforcement agencies operate in accordance with the law, while citizens have access to the courts to seek redress for their grievances, the statement said.
India also accused the UN human rights office of applying a selective approach in expressing its concerns. Without naming any country, New Delhi pointed to what it described as the office’s silence on violent responses to protests in neighbouring countries.
It also noted that the office had not commented on law enforcement actions in its own vicinity. India appeared to indirectly remind the UN of the popular uprisings that took place in its neighbouring countries, including Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal.
According to the Indian statement, such double standards undermine the credibility of the UN human rights office and contribute to declining public confidence in multilateralism.
