India has criticized UN High Commissioner Volker Turk for his remarks on Jammu and Kashmir and Manipur, categorizing them as unfounded and misleading. Permanent Representative Arindam Bagchi emphasized India’s vibrant democracy and the need for a better understanding of its realities. He highlighted the region’s progress while condemning the UN’s use of loose terminology and generalizations in its updates.
India has expressed strong criticism towards the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, regarding his remarks about Jammu and Kashmir and Manipur made during the 58th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council. India’s Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, Arindam Bagchi, condemned the comments as ‘unfounded and baseless,’ and criticized the use of ‘loose terminology’ and ‘cherry-picking’ of issues.
During the session, Mr. Bagchi emphasized India’s status as the world’s largest democracy, highlighting its vibrant and pluralistic society. He stated that the concerns raised in the UN update do not reflect the realities present in India. ‘The people of India have repeatedly proven wrong such misplaced concerns about us,’ he noted, advocating for a better understanding of India’s diverse culture and openness.
Bagchi specifically pointed out an ‘erroneous’ reference to Kashmir in the UN update. He underscored significant advancements in peace and development within Jammu and Kashmir, citing improvements such as increased tourism, a substantial electoral turnout, and rapid development in the region. He remarked, ‘Ironically, in a year that stood out for that region’s improving peace and inclusive progress, clearly, the global update needs a genuine update.’
The Indian representative also expressed concerns about the generalizations inherent in the UN’s global updates, describing them as oversimplifications of intricate issues. He asserted, ‘We are concerned about global updates, oversimplifications of complex issues, sweeping and generalized remarks, usage of loose terminologies, and apparent cherry-picking of situations.’
In conclusion, Mr. Bagchi urged the office of the High Commissioner to engage in introspection regarding the pervasive unease cited in the global updates. He implied that a more nuanced understanding of India’s societal dynamics is necessary to address the issues accurately.
India has firmly criticized the UN High Commissioner’s remarks regarding human rights situations in Jammu and Kashmir and Manipur, labeling them as baseless and disconnected from reality. Emphasizing the advancements in these regions and advocating for a better understanding of India’s diversity, India’s representative called for a more thoughtful approach to global human rights assessments, cautioning against oversimplified narratives that may misrepresent complex issues.
Original Source: www.hindustantimes.com
