India strongly rebutted comments made by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk, who raised concerns over the situations in Jammu & Kashmir and Manipur in his global update. Calling Turk’s remarks “unfounded and baseless,” India’s Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, Arindam Bagchi, criticized the selective approach and oversimplification of complex issues.
Bagchi emphasized that India, the world’s largest democracy, remains a “healthy, vibrant, and pluralistic society.” He pointed out that Turk’s reference to Jammu and Kashmir, erroneously termed as “Kashmir,” ignored ground realities, including increased voter turnout, booming tourism, and rapid development in the region.
India also voiced concern over the generalization and cherry-picking of situations in the global update. Bagchi urged for a “genuine update” that reflects accurate facts rather than misleading narratives. Turk had earlier called for stepped-up efforts to address violence and displacement in Manipur through dialogue, peacebuilding, and human rights.
He also criticized restrictive laws and harassment of human rights defenders and journalists, particularly in Kashmir. In response, India dismissed these concerns as misplaced and urged the UN to take a more objective and fact-based approach while addressing global human rights issues.
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