'Interference in internal affairs': India rebukes UN body over Delhi crackdown

NEW DELHI: India on Sunday rejected the UN human rights body's concerns over the security crackdown ahead of the Cockroach Janta Party's (CJP) proposed protest in Delhi, calling them “unwarranted” and an “unacceptable interference” in the country's internal affairs. In a statement, the ministry of external affairs said "India is the world’s largest democracy, where the right to peaceful assembly is guaranteed by our Constitution and safeguarded by robust institutions, an independent judiciary and a free media." “As in every democracy, Indian citizens exercise this right subject to the maintenance of public order and safety. Our law enforcement authorities act strictly in accordance with the law, and our courts remain available to all for the redressal of any grievances,” the ministry said. The MEA also accused the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) of being selective in its public statements, alleging that it had remained silent on violent responses to protests in neighbouring countries and law enforcement actions closer to its own headquarters.

“Such double standards only erode the credibility of its standing and contribute to the loss of faith in multilateralism,” the statement said. The response came a day after the UN human rights chief expressed concern over reports of mass detentions of demonstrators, protest leaders, civil society members, lawyers and journalists before and during large-scale demonstrations in Delhi. “We call on the authorities to ensure that the right to peaceful assembly is fully respected and fulfilled. Restrictions on peaceful protests must meet strict tests of necessity and proportionality,” the high commissioner for human rights said. The proposed CJP demonstration sought the removal of CEC Gyanesh Kumar over the SIR of electoral rolls. The protest was met with a heavy security deployment and crackdown, and several political leaders and demonstrators were detained.