Geneva [Switzerland], March 4: India has condemned the remarks made by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, describing them as “unfounded and baseless” during the 58th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, where he addressed conditions in Jammu and Kashmir and Manipur.
In his remarks at the session on Monday, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, Arindam Bagchi, criticized the High Commissioner’s use of “loose terminology” and the selective nature of his comments.
Bagchi reaffirmed that as the world’s largest democracy, India is a thriving and diverse society. He pointed out that the concerns raised in the High Commissioner’s update do not reflect the realities within India. “The people of India have consistently refuted such misplaced concerns,” Bagchi stated, calling for a deeper understanding of India’s rich diversity and openness.
“Mr. Vice President, I would like to share some thoughts regarding the High Commissioner’s update. As India was mentioned specifically, let me underscore that the world’s largest democracy remains a healthy, vibrant, and pluralistic society,” he remarked.
“The unfounded comments in the update starkly contrast with the actual conditions on the ground. The people of India have proven these misplaced concerns wrong time and again. We urge a better understanding of India and our cultural commitment to diversity and openness, which continue to characterize our dynamic and often vibrant civic environment,” he added.
Bagchi addressed the mention of Kashmir, labeling it as an “erroneous” reference.
“This divergence is clearly illustrated by the brief mention of Jammu and Kashmir, mistakenly referred to as Kashmir,” he stated.
He emphasized the region’s progress in peace and development, saying, “Ironically, in a year that showcased significant improvement in peace and inclusive development in that region—evident through high electoral participation, increasing tourism, and rapid development—the global update requires a genuine revision.”
Additionally, the Indian representative expressed concerns about the oversimplifications found in the UN’s global updates, which he characterized as inadequate representations of intricate issues.
“On a broader scale, we are concerned about the global updates that oversimplify complex matters, offer sweeping generalizations, employ loose terminology, and exhibit cherry-picking of specific situations,” he mentioned.
“Mr. Vice President, the High Commissioner may have detected widespread unease, but we believe a critical self-reflection by the office of the High Commissioner is vital to address this issue,” he concluded. (Agencies)
