Take a long hard look in the mirror: India lashes out at UN Rights Chief over uncalled for remarks on Kashmir, Manipur

On Monday, India admonished the United Nations Human Rights (UNHRC) Chief for his uncalled for and contentious remarks on Kashmir and Manipur.

India slammed the UNHRC Chief Volker Turk for using “loose terminology” and “cherry picking” situations. In a stern diplomatic reply, India advised him to “take a long and hard look in the mirror”.

Arindam Bagchi is the Permanent Representative of India to the UN and other International Organisations in Geneva. 

Slamming Volker Turk, Bagchi said, “As India was mentioned by name, let me begin by emphasising that the world’s largest democracy continues to be a healthy, vibrant and pluralistic society. Unfounded and baseless comments in the update contrast jarringly with ground realities.” 

The recent row erupted after Volker Turk needlessly mentioned Kashmir and Manipur in his global update to the 58th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

Turk demanded that efforts be “stepped-up” to handle violence and displacement in Manipur on the basis of dialogue, peacebuilding, and human rights.

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He expressed concerns for Kashmir over “the use of restrictive laws and harassment against human rights defenders and independent journalists resulting in arbitrary detention and a diminished civic space, including in Kashmir”.

Retorting sharply to his uncalled remarks, Bagchi stated that Turk’s global update needs a “genuine” information “at a larger level, we are concerned about the global update’s oversimplifications of complex issues, sweeping and generalized remarks, usage of loose terminologies and apparent cherry picking of situations”.

Bagchi added, “The High Commissioner has sensed a pervasive unease, but we would submit that a key element to addressing this is a long and hard look in the mirror by the Office of the High Commissioner.”