India criticized UN High Commissioner Volker Turk’s remarks on Kashmir and Manipur as “unfounded and baseless.” Permanent Representative Arindam Bagchi emphasized India’s status as a vibrant democracy and pointed out the disconnect between the UN’s concerns and the realities on the ground. He called for a better understanding of India’s diverse society and questioned the validity of the UN’s generalizations.
India has expressed strong criticism of the remarks made by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk regarding the situations in Jammu and Kashmir and Manipur. During the 58th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, Arindam Bagchi, denounced Turk’s comments as “unfounded and baseless,” noting that they employed “loose terminology” and appeared to selectively highlight specific issues.
Bagchi underscored that as the world’s largest democracy, India constitutes a vibrant and pluralistic society. He asserted that the concerns reflected in the UN update do not align with the realities present within India, stating, “The people of India have repeatedly proven wrong such misplaced concerns about us.” He called for a deeper understanding of India’s diverse environment and its commitment to openness.
Specifically addressing the mention of Kashmir, Bagchi described it as an “erroneous” reference. He highlighted the significant progress made in Jammu and Kashmir concerning peace and development, commenting on the region’s improved conditions and the excitement surrounding provincial elections, tourism, and rapid growth. Bagchi remarked that the UN update requires substantial revisions to accurately reflect these developments.
Moreover, Bagchi raised concerns about the generalizations found in the UN’s global updates, suggesting they oversimplify complex situations. He cautioned against the use of vague language and arbitrary selections of topics. He stated, “Mr. Vice President, the High Commissioner has sensed a pervasive unease, but we would submit that a key element to addressing this is a long and hard look in the mirror by the office of the High Commissioner.”
In summary, India’s government has formally objected to the remarks made by UN High Commissioner Volker Turk regarding Jammu and Kashmir, labeling them as misleading and overly simplistic. India’s Permanent Representative emphasized the importance of recognizing the complexities of the situations within India, urging the UN to reconsider its approach to updates on human rights issues. Overall, India seeks an accurate reflection of its democratic and pluralistic society in international dialogues.
Original Source: www.hindustantimes.com
