Global update needs genuine update: India tells UN Human Rights Council

Geneva: India made it clear at the UN Human Rights Council that the world's largest democracy continues to be a ‘healthy, vibrant and pluralist society’.

UN human rights chief Volker Turk, earlier referring to the situation in Manipur, called for ‘stepped-up’ efforts based on dialogue, peace building and human rights to address violence and displacement in Manipur, according to NDTV.

Volker Turk expressed concern at ‘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.’

India's permanent representative to the UN in Geneva, Arindam Bagchi, responded strongly to Volker Turk's remarks at the 58th regular session of the UN Human Rights Council, citing India’s ‘civilisational ethos of diversity and openness’.

Addressing the 58th regular session of the UN Human Rights Council, Arindam 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 people of India have repeatedly proven wrong such misplaced concerns about us and we would urge a better understanding of India and our civilisational ethos of diversity and openness, which continue to define our robust and often cacophonous civic space,’ he was quoted as saying.

Pointing to the large turnout at the Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir, Bagchi said ‘Nothing illustrates this divergence more than the passing reference to Jammu and Kashmir, erroneously referred to as Kashmir. Ironically in a year that stood out for that region's improving peace and inclusive progress, be it the large turnout in provincial elections, the booming tourism or the rapid development pace. Clearly, the global update needs a genuine update.’