India rejects negative characterization based on allegations of human rights abuses, emphasizes commitment to rule of law and transparency.
In response to concerns raised by UN human rights experts about the handling of peaceful demonstrations against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, India's Ministry of External Affairs Deputy Secretary Barkha Tamrakar spoke at the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Wednesday. Tamrakar opposed the use of allegations of human rights abuses and 'incomplete statistics' to negatively characterize the world's largest democracy as an instrument of political pressure or selective targeting of countries. The UN experts had flagged the 'heavy-handed police response' to peaceful youth-led demonstrations against Kumar, stating that over 7,000 persons, including journalists, human rights defenders, lawyers, and political party members were detained in New Delhi and taken to remote detention centers earlier this month. The experts described this crackdown as part of a 'broader, troubling pattern' of undue restrictions on peaceful assembly, excessive force, arbitrary detentions, enforced disappearances, and targeting of student activists. However, Tamrakar asserted that India is 'anchored in the rule of law' and has signed the Convention on Enforced Disappearances, which bans state-backed abductions and classifies widespread enforced disappearances as crimes against humanity. Despite signing the convention on February 6, 2007, it remains unratified. Tamrakar also highlighted Article 21 that assures the right to life and personal liberty, an independent judiciary, the Right to Information Act, a free press, and functional human rights commissions as safeguards against any alleged disappearances in India. Furthermore, Tamrakar emphasized that engagements with international human rights mechanisms should be based on dialogue, consultation, cooperation with non-selectivity and transparency. The official added that New Delhi was prepared to clarify specific cases through established channels.
Source:
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