India Raises Concerns Over UNs Diminishing Credibility Amid Unverified Reports
India expresses worry about the UNs credibility due to unverified reports, rejecting allegations against its youth.
New York, October 17 (Daily Kiran) : India has voiced its concerns regarding the declining credibility of the United Nations, attributing this issue to reports based on unverified hearsay. During a meeting of the UN General Assembly’s Third Committee in New York, Indian diplomat Anuj Swaroop dismissed a report by the UN’s special rapporteur on the freedom of peaceful assembly, Gina Romero.
Swaroop criticized the report, which alleged that some young people in India faced backlash for discussing issues like mental health and gender justice. He emphasized that such sweeping accusations, based on anonymous and unverified claims, lack any substantial evidence.
He stated that this kind of arbitrary reporting undermines the trust in the UN and its associated bodies. Swaroop remarked that transforming hearsay into official reports is unacceptable, and he firmly rejected the allegations made against India.
The report in question cited a “submission” from some youths but did not provide clear sources for the claims. Swaroop pointed out the irresponsibility of drawing general conclusions about 1.4 billion people based on anonymous information.
This marks the second instance this week where India has questioned the functioning of the UN’s human rights mechanisms. On Wednesday, Swaroop accused UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk of applying double standards in different cases. He noted that violent actions during protests in neighboring countries and Western nations often go unreported.
Criticizing the report further, Swaroop pointed out that it interestingly acknowledged the emergence of a satirical political movement among Indian youth. He questioned, “In which repressive country can a satirical youth party challenge the government, march to the capital, and hold discussions with senior leaders?” This comment was interpreted in the context of the Cockroach People’s Party (CJP).
Swaroop suggested that Gina Romero may have missed Turk’s statement last month, where he praised dialogue in relation to youth-led movements in India. On September 7, Turk stated, “Recent protests in India have shown that the best response to youth-led movements is dialogue, not excessive force.”
Swaroop highlighted a key example of democracy in action in India, referring to student protests over alleged irregularities in public examinations. He noted that the government engaged constructively with the youth, leading to amendments in the Public Examination Act within weeks.
The new changes included stricter penalties for paper leak incidents, comprehensive reforms in the examination system, and the establishment of special fast-track courts in states to address examination fraud cases.
In response to India’s criticism, Gina Romero acknowledged that India is the world’s largest democracy, with numerous institutional arrangements to incorporate youth voices. However, she also emphasized the importance of not overlooking the presence of protesting youth on the streets.
