CJP Protest: India Accuses UN Body Of 'Double Standards', Rejects Remarks Flagging Concerns On Detentions

A day after the United Nations Human Rights Office said it was concerned by reports of mass detentions of demonstrators during protests against the Election Commission, India’s Ministry of External Affairs on Sunday said that the statement constituted “an unacceptable interference in the internal affairs of India”.

UN Statement

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Thameem Al-Kheetan had on Saturday urged Indian authorities to respect the right to peaceful assembly, and said that any curbs on peaceful protests “must meet strict tests of necessity and proportionality”.

The spokesperson had said that authorities in India must ensure that law enforcement forces “exercise utmost restraint” in response to peaceful protesters, and had called for all those “arbitrarily detained” to be released immediately.

Indian Constitution Guarantees Rights: MEA

The Ministry of External Affairs, however, said that the right to peaceful assembly in India is guaranteed by the Constitution.

“As in every democracy, Indian citizens exercise this right subject to the maintenance of public order and safety. Our law enforcement authorities act strictly in accordance with the law, and our courts remain available to all for the redressal of any grievances,” the ministry said, describing the UN rights body’s statement as unwarranted.

'Double Standards', Alleges Foreign Ministry

The MEA further stated: “We also note that the OHCHR has an approach of extreme selectivity when it comes to public positions. Violent responses to protests in our neighbourhood have gone uncommented, as indeed have law enforcement actions in its own vicinity. Such double standards only erode the credibility of its standing and contribute to the loss of faith in multilateralism.”

The Protests

Protests have been held in several parts of the country in recent weeks seeking the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on account of concerns about the functioning of the Election Commission and alleged irregularities in the special intensive revision of electoral rolls.

Ahead of the protest on Saturday, Cockroach Janta Party leaders Abhijeet Dipke, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were detained from inside an aircraft as soon as they landed in Delhi.

Thousands of persons were detained across the national capital, and the authorities put in place measures such as suspending metro services, cancelling passenger trains and suspending mobile internet services in central Delhi.