‘Unwarranted, unacceptable interference’: India rejects UN concerns over crackdown on Delhi protesters

After the UN Human Rights Office raised concerns about the mass detention of protesters in Delhi, India responded on Sunday, dismissing the remarks as "unwarranted and an unacceptable interference in the internal affairs of the country." This is the second time in the last 12 hours that India has addressed the UN's comments. Earlier, India's permanent mission in Geneva labeled the concerns "misplaced and causing unwarranted interference."

However, the Ministry of External Affairs' spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, emphasized India's commitment to democracy and the protection of peaceful assembly. He stated that Indian citizens exercise their right to peaceful assembly subject to maintaining public order and safety, with law enforcement acting within legal parameters and courts available for grievances.

Jaiswal criticized the UN's "selective approach" and questioned its credibility due to double standards in its public positions. The UN's Human Rights spokesperson, Thameen Al-Kheetan, called on Indian authorities to respect the right to peaceful assembly and ensure restrictions meet strict tests of necessity and proportionality.

He expressed concern over mass detentions of demonstrators, protest leaders, civil society members, lawyers, and journalists, urging immediate and unconditional release of those arbitrarily detained. The UN also urged meaningful dialogue between authorities to address broadly held concerns.