India rejects UN Human rights chief's criticism over human rights, Rohingya refugees

New Delhi/Geneva, Sept 12 :  India today strongly rejected the criticism of the UN Human Rights Council chief Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein over its handling of Rohingya Muslim refugees from Mayanmar, Jammu and Kashmir situation and religious intolerance saying assessment of human rights should not be a matter of political convenience. In his response to the observations of the UN Human Rights chief, India’s Permanent Representative to UN at Geneva Ambassador Rajiv K Chander said he found the his remarks very ‘’perplexing’’. ‘’Tendentious judgements made on the basis of selective and even inaccurate reports do not further the understanding of human rights in any society,’’ he said. He underscored that India was concerned about illegal migrants, in particular, with the possibility that they could pose security challenges, so enforcing the laws should not be mistaken for lack of compassion. Ambassador Chander said there appeared to be inadequate appreciation of the freedoms and rights that are guaranteed and practised daily in a vibrant democracy that has been built under challenging conditions. He expressed surprise that individual incidents were being extrapolated to suggest a broader societal situation. ‘’India is proud of its independent judiciary, freedom of press, vibrant civil society and respect for rule of law and human rights. A more informed view would have not only recognised this but also noted, for example, that the Prime Minister himself publicly condemned violence in the name of cow protection. India does not condone any actions in violation of law and imputations to the contrary are not justified, ‘’ he said. On the comments of Mr Hussein on human rights situations in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, he said it was a matter of regret that the central role of terrorism was once again being overlooked, adding that ‘’assessments of human rights should not be a matter of political convenience.’’ ‘’India believes that achieving human rights goals calls for objective consideration, balanced judgements and verification of facts. Our Government’s motto of "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas” that is All Together and Development for All, is a true reflection of our commitment to achieve inclusive development in the spirit of leaving none of our citizens behind,’’ Ambassador Chander said. UNI