India has rejected the concerns raised by the UN human rights office over the mass detention of protesters in Delhi, calling them “unwarranted” and an “unacceptable interference in the internal affairs of India.”
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued the statement on Sunday, a day after the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said it was concerned about reports of mass detentions of demonstrators, protest leaders, civil society members, lawyers and journalists before and during Saturday’s protests in the capital.
The protest was called by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), with support from Left organisations. It demands the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the withdrawal of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Opposition parties allege the revision has deprived crores of citizens of their right to vote.
In its statement, the MEA said Indian citizens exercise the right to protest “subject to the maintenance of public order and safety.” It added that law enforcement authorities act strictly in accordance with the law and that courts remain open to anyone seeking redress.
The ministry also accused the OHCHR of “extreme selectivity” in its public positions. It said violent responses to protests in India’s neighbourhood have gone uncommented on, as have law enforcement actions in the body’s own vicinity.
According to the MEA, such double standards erode the OHCHR’s credibility and contribute to a loss of faith in multilateralism.
OHCHR spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan had earlier urged the authorities to ensure that the right to peaceful assembly is fully respected. He asked law enforcement to show “utmost restraint” in dealing with peaceful protesters and called for meaningful dialogue to address concerns he described as broadly held.
The UN office also urged the release of those it described as arbitrarily detained.
Delhi was put under heavy security ahead of the protest. More than 26,000 police personnel were deployed, and the police set up 12 detention centres. Forty-five Metro stations were shut and internet services were suspended. Prohibitory orders were imposed, and long-distance trains arriving in the capital were regulated.
A Home Ministry official told Reuters that over 2,000 people had been detained, while other reports put the figure at around 3,000. Protesters travelling by train were also taken into custody.
Those detained included CPI(M) leader and former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and party general secretary M.A. Baby. CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke was also detained.
