‘Right to Peaceful Assembly Guaranteed’: India Calls Out OHCHR

India has rejected the UN Human Rights Office’s concerns over mass detentions in Delhi, calling them unwarranted interference in its internal affairs.

By Pranjal Gupta

New Delhi, October 11: India on Sunday rejected the UN Human Rights Office’s remarks on the mass detention of protesters, lawyers, journalists and civil society members in Delhi on October 10. This was the second time within less than 12 hours that New Delhi had responded to the UN body’s concerns.

In a written statement posted on X, formerly Twitter, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said India was the world’s largest democracy and that the right to peaceful assembly was guaranteed by the Constitution. The response came a day after the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) called on Indian authorities to uphold the right to peaceful assembly.

Viral Image from October 10 Protest in Delhi

India Calls UN Remarks ‘Unacceptable Interference’

“As in every democracy, Indian citizens exercise this right subject to the maintenance of public order and safety. Our law enforcement authorities act strictly in accordance with the law, and our courts remain available to all for the redressal of any grievances. The OHCHR’s concerns are therefore unwarranted and constitute an unacceptable interference in the internal affairs of India,” the MEA said in its statement on Sunday.

The ministry also accused the OHCHR of being selective in its public statements, alleging that it had remained silent on police responses to protests in neighbouring countries and law enforcement actions closer to its own headquarters.

“We also note that the OHCHR has an approach of extreme selectivity when it comes to public positions. Violent responses to protests in our neighbourhood have gone uncommented, as indeed have law enforcement actions in its own vicinity. Such double standards only erode the credibility of its standing and contribute to the loss of faith in multilateralism,” it added.

UN Rights Office Raises Concern Over Mass Detentions

On Saturday, the OHCHR expressed concern over reports of mass detentions in Delhi after protesters were stopped from reaching Jantar Mantar for a demonstration. The protest was called by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), which demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in electoral rolls.

The UN body called on Indian authorities to ensure that the right to peaceful assembly remained intact and demanded the immediate and unconditional release of those detained arbitrarily.

“We are concerned by reports of mass detentions in India of demonstrators, protest leaders, members of civil society organisations, lawyers and journalists, before and during today’s large-scale demonstrations in Delhi,” UN Human Rights Spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan said.

Delhi witnessed heavy restrictions on October 10 ahead of the planned demonstration, with police and paramilitary personnel deployed across the national capital as protesters attempted to reach the designated protest site.