United Nations human rights experts have raised concerns over alleged police excesses and detentions during youth-led protests in India over the past three months. They have called for independent investigations into the alleged use of force against peaceful demonstrators and urged the authorities to uphold the right to protest. India, however, has cautioned against using human rights concerns to exert political pressure or single out individual countries.
New York: The United Nations has drawn attention to allegations of excessive police force, arbitrary detentions and mistreatment during protests led by young people in New Delhi and other parts of India. Human rights experts have called on the authorities to ensure impartial investigations into alleged violations and respect the right to peaceful assembly.
India has responded by maintaining that human rights must not become a means of political interference or selective targeting. New Delhi has also emphasised that international engagement on human rights should be guided by impartiality, transparency, cooperation and consultation.
UN Experts Call for Independent Investigations
According to the UN experts, young people, students and social activists participating in demonstrations have allegedly faced excessive police force. Some protesters were reportedly detained, while others claimed they had been mistreated.
The experts have urged the Indian authorities to remove broad restrictions on peaceful assemblies, prevent arbitrary detentions and address concerns about the potential misuse of internet shutdowns and biometric surveillance. They have also called for independent and impartial investigations into the alleged human rights violations.
Electoral Roll Revision at the Centre of Protests
The revision of electoral rolls has emerged as a major issue behind the demonstrations. Protest groups claim that the removal of approximately 130 million names from electoral rolls could jeopardise the voting rights of eligible citizens. They are also demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
The Election Commission, however, maintains that the revision process aims to remove duplicate entries and the names of deceased, relocated and otherwise ineligible voters. It has also stated that individuals whose names have been wrongly removed can appeal through the prescribed procedure to have them restored.
India Warns Against Political Use of Human Rights
Representing India at the United Nations, Barkha Tamrakar, Deputy Secretary at the Ministry of External Affairs, said human rights should not be used to exert political pressure or selectively target countries.
India reiterated that it remains engaged with international human rights institutions but stressed that such engagement must be based on fairness, transparency, cooperation and consultation.
New Delhi also objected to attempts to present a negative image of the country on the basis of unverified allegations and incomplete data, reinforcing its position that human rights concerns should be addressed objectively rather than used as instruments of political pressure.
