India responds to UN human rights chief’s criticism of situation in Kashmir

India on Tuesday responded to the UN human rights chief’s criticism of the scenario in Jammu and Kashmir by saying it had revived grassroots democracy and pushed financial growth within the area regardless of Pakistan’s efforts to derail this course of.

In her world human rights replace on Monday, UN excessive commissioner for human rights Michelle Bachelet had mentioned that each “incidents of military and police violence against civilians” and incidents associated to militancy had been persevering with in Kashmir, whereas authorized modifications to the Constitution and domicile guidelines had been “generating deep anxiety”.

Giving India’s response throughout the debate on Bachelet’s replace on Tuesday, India’s everlasting consultant Indra Mani Pandey mentioned since modifications had been made within the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir in August final 12 months, folks within the area have been “enjoying the same fundamental rights as people in other parts of India”.

“We have been able to revive grass root democracy and provide a new momentum to social and economic development, despite the challenge posed by [the] Covid-19 pandemic and persistent attempts by one country to infiltrate terrorists to derail this process by all possible means,” Pandey mentioned.

Though the envoy didn’t title the nation, it was apparent he was referring to Pakistan, which India has blamed for supporting cross-border terrorism, particularly in Jammu and Kashmir.

Pandey additionally mentioned the federal government’s efforts aimed toward socio-economic growth and guaranteeing higher governance in Kashmir over the previous 12 months have “yielded unprecedented results”.

He added, “By extending coverage of positive and affirmative federal legislations and repealing discriminatory or outdated local laws, the government has reaffirmed its commitment to delivering socio-economic justice to disadvantaged people in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, including women, children, minorities and refugees.”

Bachelet had additionally mentioned in her replace that the “space for political debate and public participation continues to be severely restricted” in Jammu and Kashmir, significantly since new media guidelines prohibited vaguely outlined “anti-national” reporting.

She welcomed the discharge of some political and group leaders, however famous that “hundreds of people remain in arbitrary detention, with many habeas corpus petitions still pending – including those of many of Jammu and Kashmir’s political leaders”.

She additionally welcome initiatives to increase companies to distant areas and the conditional restoration of full web connectivity in two districts, and mentioned these measures “should be applied promptly to the rest of Jammu and Kashmir”.

Bachelet famous that individuals in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir have “limited internet access, creating difficulties in accessing education and other vital services”. She mentioned she was additionally involved about restrictions on the rights to freedom of expression and affiliation on the Pakistani facet.

“My office is committed to continuing its engagement with both India and Pakistan, to uphold the rights of the Kashmiri people – which is the best way to prevent further tensions and conflict,” she mentioned.

Bachelet had additionally criticised the scenario in Kashmir in her world replace in 2019, when she had additionally spoken out in opposition to the National Register of Citizens verification course of in Assam, saying it had brought on “great uncertainty and anxiety”.

Pandey additionally mentioned in his intervention that India stays dedicated to upholding all human rights and is of the view that the human rights agenda and discourse “must be pursued in a transparent and impartial manner with respect for national sovereignty and territorial integrity and non-interference in internal affairs of states”.

India additionally exercised its proper of reply to reply to statements by Pakistan, Turkey and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) throughout the debate on the UN excessive commissioner’s replace.

It mentioned it has grow to be “habitual” for Pakistan to malign India with false and fabricated narratives for “self-serving malicious purposes”, and that India and different nations don’t deserve an “unsolicited lecture on human rights from a country that has consistently persecuted its ethnic and religious minorities, is an epicentre of terrorism, has the distinction of providing pensions to individuals on UN sanctions list and has a prime minister who proudly admits training tens of thousands of terrorists to fight in Jammu and Kashmir”.

“It’s not surprising that other relevant multilateral institutions have been raising serious concerns on its failure to stop terror financing and lack of effective actions against all terror entities in Pakistan,” the Indian consultant mentioned within the reply.

Pakistan’s “nefarious designs” additionally proceed in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and its “zeal to reassert its theocratic ideology” has ensured that “ethnic and religious minorities have no future through systematic persecution, blasphemy laws, forced conversions, targeted killings, sectarian violence and faith-based discrimination”, The Indian consultant mentioned.

India additionally identified that “thousands of Sikh, Hindu and Christian minority women and girls have been subjected to abductions, forced marriages and conversions in Pakistan”.

India additionally famous that Pakistan has been “abusing” varied UN human rights mechanisms and platforms to boost points which are “extraneous to the mandate” of the Human Rights Council and relate to the interior affairs of India.

New Delhi additionally rejected the OIC’s reference to Jammu and Kashmir and mentioned the organisation has no locus standi to touch upon India’s inner affairs. The OIC has additionally allowed itself to be “misused by Pakistan”, India mentioned in its reply. India additionally suggested Turkey to “refrain from commenting on the internal affairs of India”.