'Terror epicentre creating false Kashmir narrative': India tears apart Pakistan at UNHRC

Geneva, Sep 10: India responded to Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi's comments on the Kashmir issue at the United Nations Human Rights Commission (UNHRC) on Tuesday, 10 September.

Exercising its right to respond to Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi's statements at the 42nd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, Vijay Thakur Singh, Secretary (East) in the Ministry of External Affairs, said "no country can accept interference in its internal affairs, certainly not India."

''My Government is taking affirmative action by adopting progressive policies to promote socio-economic equality & justice. As a result of recent legislative measures progressive policies will now be fully applicable to our citizens in J&K, & Ladakh. These will end gender discrimination, better protect juvenile rights and make applicable rights to education, information and work," Singh said.

''A delegation has given a running commentary with offensive rhetoric of false allegations & concocted charges against my country. World is aware that this narrative comes from epicentre of global terrorism, where ring leaders were sheltered for years,''," Singh added.

She said,''We wish to reiterate that this sovereign decision, like other legislations passed by Parliament, is entirely internal to India. No country can accept interference in its internal affairs, certainly not India.''

On the issue of the National Register for Citizens (NRC) in Assam, Singh said it was a "statutory, transparent, nondiscriminatory legal process mandated and monitored by the Supreme Court of India".

''NRC is a statutory, transparent,nondiscriminatory legal process mandated& monitored by Supreme Court of India. Any decision that is taken during its implementation will comply with Indian Law & will be consistent with India's democratic traditions,'' she added.

Strongly rejecting Pakistan's "concocted" campaign on the issue, Singh, in a clear but indirect reference to Pakistan, said there was a need to call out those misusing the UNHRC for their malicious political agenda under the garb of human rights.

"We should call out those who are misusing this platform for malicious political agendas under the garb of human rights. Those who are attempting this speak on the human rights of minorities in other countries whilst trampling upon them at will in their own country," she said. "They cry victim when they actually are the perpetrators."Singh said India, a responsible member of the international community, firmly believes in a constructive approach to promote and protect human rights.

"We believe that human rights are best protected when national institutions are strengthened. We do so as a nation of 1.3 billion people, which embodies the highest principles of democracy, tolerance and unity in diversity," she added.

Earlier during the day, the Pakistan foreign minister had brought up the matter at the UNHRC in an effort to garner global attention towards India's move to revoke the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan had earlier demanded an international investigation by the UNHRC into the situation in Kashmir and urged the world rights body not to remain "indifferent" after India revoked Jammu and Kashmir's special status.