India Critiques UN Human Rights Chief for Misrepresentation on Kashmir and Manipur
India has criticized UN Human Rights Chief Volker Turk for his comments on Kashmir and Manipur, calling them “unfounded and baseless.” Arindam Bagchi, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, highlighted the discrepancies between the UN’s report and the realities on the ground in India. He advocated for an improved understanding of Indian society’s complexities and development in Jammu and Kashmir.
India has expressed strong criticism towards the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, regarding his comments on the situations in Jammu and Kashmir and Manipur during the 58th regular session of the UN Human Rights Council. Arindam Bagchi, India’s Permanent Representative at the UN in Geneva, denounced Turk’s remarks as “unfounded and baseless,” highlighting the use of “loose terminology” and the selective representation of issues.
Bagchi asserted that India, being the largest democracy, maintains a vibrant and pluralistic society. He emphasized that the concerns mentioned in the UN update do not reflects the realities within India. “The people of India have repeatedly proven wrong such misplaced concerns about us,” he stated, advocating for a more nuanced understanding of India’s diverse society.
Addressing the mention of Kashmir in the UN update, Bagchi termed it an “erroneous” reference. He pointed out that Jammu and Kashmir has made significant progress in peace and development, evidenced by large electoral participation and a boom in tourism. According to him, the global update requires a thorough revision to accurately portray current conditions in the region.
The Indian representative raised broader concerns regarding the UN’s global updates, describing them as oversimplifications of intricate issues. He noted that generalized remarks and “loose terminologies” fail to capture the complexities at hand. To address the perceived unease referenced by the High Commissioner, Bagchi suggested that the UN office must undertake self-reflection on their assessments and statements.
In conclusion, India’s strong rebuttal against the UN High Commissioner’s remarks reveals the nation’s insistence on a more accurate representation of its internal affairs. India’s Permanent Representative underscored the need for a deeper understanding of India’s societal diversity amidst criticism, calling for a more responsible dialogue within international forums. This incident also marks a significant moment in the ongoing discourse about human rights and governance in the region.
Original Source: www.hindustantimes.com
