'Concerns misplaced': India hits back at UN over remarks on Delhi anti-CEC detentions
The diplomatic exchange followed police action against demonstrators demanding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's resignation over disputed electoral roll revisions.
by Subhrajit Roy · Zee NewsIndia has rejected the UN Human Rights Office's criticism of mass detentions during protests in New Delhi, describing its intervention as "misplaced" and an intrusion into domestic affairs. The exchange followed Saturday's police action against demonstrators demanding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's resignation over disputed changes to electoral rolls, with more than 7,000 people reportedly detained across the national capital.
India's permanent mission to the United Nations in Geneva issued its response on Saturday, after the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) questioned the treatment of protesters, lawyers, journalists and civil society members during demonstrations organised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP).
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India calls UN remarks unwarranted interference
In a statement shared on X, the Indian mission defended the country's constitutional protections and said the authorities were acting within the law. It maintained that citizens could exercise their right to peaceful assembly, subject to reasonable restrictions necessary to maintain public order.
"India is the world's largest democracy, where the right to peaceful assembly is guaranteed by our Constitution and safeguarded by robust institutions, an independent judiciary and a free media," the statement said.
The mission also pointed out that Indian courts were available to anyone seeking legal redress against government action.
"The OHCHR's concerns are therefore misplaced and constitute an unwarranted interference in the internal affairs of India," it said.
New Delhi also urged the UN rights office to give comparable attention to large-scale protests in other countries, arguing that the organisation must observe impartiality and avoid selective criticism.
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What did the UN say about the Delhi detentions?
The diplomatic response followed a statement by UN Human Rights spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan, who expressed concern over reports of widespread detentions before and during the demonstrations.
The OHCHR said the right to peaceful assembly must be protected and called on the authorities to ensure that restrictions on demonstrations were necessary and proportionate.
It urged security personnel to exercise restraint and demanded the immediate and unconditional release of people it described as arbitrarily detained. The UN office also called for dialogue between the authorities and protesters.
Over 7,000 detained during protests against Gyanesh Kumar
Security forces deployed thousands of personnel across New Delhi on Saturday to block demonstrators marching toward Jantar Mantar. While official media accounts report over 7,000 detentions across the city, the CJP alleged that up to 15,000 protesters were held. The scale of Saturday's action surpasses previous major police crackdowns, such as the December 2019 anti-CAA demonstrations, where around 5,500 people were detained in a single day. The restrictions affected several parts of the capital. Dozens of metro stations were shut, roads were barricaded and mobile internet services were suspended in the central business district.
Among those detained were former chief ministers Arvind Kejriwal, Mamata Banerjee and Pinarayi Vijayan, according to television reports cited by Reuters.
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke and leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were also detained after arriving in Delhi on a flight from Mumbai.
Why are protesters demanding the Election Commission chief's resignation?
The demonstrations are linked to growing opposition to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Protest organisers have accused Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar of overseeing a process that they believe has resulted in the wrongful removal of eligible voters.
Approximately 130 million voter entries were removed during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The Commission said the removals included people who had died, relocated or could not be traced, and maintained that eligible voters incorrectly excluded could apply for re-enrolment.
Opposition parties have alleged that the revisions benefited the ruling BJP in recent elections. Both the BJP and the Election Commission have denied wrongdoing. The CJP has said it intends to continue its campaign until Gyanesh Kumar resigns.
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