Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi, Dec.2: India on Thursday slammed the United Nations Human Rights Council for making “baseless” accusations against it over the detention of an activist in Jammu and Kashmir, saying the remarks “betray” a complete lack of understanding of the region’s security concerns in the face of cross-border terrorism.
According to Arindam Bagchi of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), authorities in India act against infractions of the law, not lawful exercise of rights.
Bagchi’s remarks were in reaction to a statement from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) spokesperson over the arrest of Kashmiri rights activist Khurram Parvez.
“We have seen the statement made by the spokesperson of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on specific incidents in Jammu and Kashmir. The statement makes baseless and unfounded allegations against law enforcement authorities and security forces of India,” he said.
On Wednesday, OHCHR spokesperson Rupert Colville expressed grave worry about Parvez’s detention and even urged for “quick, thorough, transparent” investigations into recent civilian fatalities in J&K.
“We are deeply concerned at the arrest of Kashmiri human rights defender Khurram Parvez under Indian counter-terrorism legislation, the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA),” Colville said in a statement.
Bagchi, in response to the UN official’s remarks, said that as a democratic country committed to promoting and protecting its citizens’ human rights, India takes all necessary steps to combat cross-border terrorism.
“It also betrays a complete lack of understanding on the part of the OHCHR of the security challenges faced by India from cross-border terrorism and its impact on the most fundamental human right, ‘the right to life’ of our citizens including in Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
“Referring to proscribed terrorist organisations as ‘armed groups’ demonstrates a clear bias on the part of OHCHR,” the MEA spokesperson added.
Bagchi stated that national security legislations like as the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (UAPA) were created by Parliament to defend India’s sovereignty and citizens’ safety.
He further stated, “The arrest and subsequent detention of the individual referred to in the statement was done entirely as per provisions of law. Authorities in India act against violations of law and not against legitimate exercise of rights. All such actions are strictly in accordance with the law.”
