MEA terms human rights report ‘fallacious’ and ‘motivated’

India on Thursday categorically rejected a “fallacious, tendentious and motivated report” by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) that alleged New Delhi was a human rights violator in Kashmir and sought an international enquiry.

Reacting to the report, India questioned the intent behind the report and termed it to be a selective compilation of largely unverified information which is overtly prejudiced and seeks to build a false narrative. India has also objected to the usage of world like “armed groups” and “leaders” for UN proscribed terrorist groups and their leaders.

The first of its kind 49-page report by the OHCHR called “The human rights situation in Kashmir” talked about human rights violations by both India and Pakistan and alleged abuses and violations by their security forces.

“India rejects the report. It is fallacious, tendentious and motivated. We question the intent in bringing out such a report. It is a selective compilation of largely unverified information. It is overtly prejudiced and seeks to build a false narrative. The report violates India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said.

He reiterated that the entire State of Jammu & Kashmir is an integral part of India and Pakistan is in illegal and forcible occupation of a part of the Indian State through aggression. “We have repeatedly called upon Pakistan to vacate the occupied territories. The incorrect description of Indian territory in the report is mischievous, misleading and unacceptable. There are no entities such as ‘Azad Jammu & Kashmir’ and ‘Gilgit-Baltistan’,” Raveesh added.

Mentioning Pakistan-sponsored terrorism as a major form of human rights violations that the Indians are facing, the official said the authors of the OHCHR report have ignored this aspect.

“Terrorism is the most egregious violation of human rights. Yet the authors have conveniently ignored the pattern of cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan and territories under its illegal control. Cross-border terror and incitement is aimed at suppressing the will of the people of

Jammu & Kashmir, disrupting its political and social fabric and undermining India’s integrity. It is disturbing that those behind this report have chosen to describe internationally designated and UN-proscribed terrorist entities as ‘armed groups’ and terrorists as ‘leaders’. This undermines the UN led consensus on zero tolerance to terrorism,” Raveesh added.

“The motivated report deliberately ignores that fundamental rights and freedoms guaranteed under the Constitution to every Indian citizen, including in Jammu & Kashmir, are protected also by an independent judiciary, human rights commissions, free and vibrant media and an active civil society. Our protest and views in the matter have been conveyed unequivocally to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. We are deeply concerned that individual prejudices are being allowed to undermine the credibility of a UN institution. Such malicious reports cannot undermine the will of the people and the Government of India to take all measures necessary to protect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country from cross border terrorism,” he added.

“The political dimensions of the dispute between India and Pakistan have long been centre-stage, but this is not a conflict frozen in time. It is a conflict that has robbed millions of their basic human rights, and continues to this day to inflict untold suffering. This is why any resolution of the political situation in Kashmir must entail a commitment to end the cycles of violence and ensure accountability for past and current violations and abuses by all parties, and provide redress for victims,” said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein while releasing the report.

Courtesy: The Pioneer, Friday, 15 June 2018 | PNS | New Delhi