Revocation of J&K's special status sovereign decision: India at UNHRC

India on Tuesday rejected Pakistan's allegations at the UN Human Rights Council and strongly defended the Indian government's decision to abrogate Article 370 and recognise Jammu and Kashmir, saying that legislative decisions on Jammu and Kashmir were "sovereign" and "entirely internal to India".

Geneva:India on Tuesday asserted that the revocation of Jammu and Kashmir's special status was its sovereign decision and it cannot accept any interference in the country's internal affairs, as New Delhi hit out at Pakistan's "malicious" campaign on the issue and condemned "state-sponsored terrorism".

Secretary (East) in the External Affairs Ministry Vijay Thakur Singh, in a clear reference to Pakistan, said those who speak on the human rights of minorities in other countries are "trampling upon them at will in their own country. They cry victim when they actually are the perpetrators".

There was a need to call out those who are misusing the United Nations Human Rights Council for "malicious political agenda under the garb of human rights", she said, rejecting Pakistan's charges against India on the Kashmir issue at the 42nd session of the UNHRC.

Singh said the recent legislative measures taken by India in Jammu and Kashmir were within the framework of its Constitution.

"These decisions were taken by our Parliament after a full debate that was televised and enjoyed widespread support. We wish to reiterate that this sovereign decision, like other legislation passed by Parliament, is entirely internal to India. No country can accept interference in its internal affairs, certainly not India," she said.

In an apparent reference to the Pakistani delegation led by Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Singh said, "One delegation has given a running commentary with offensive rhetoric of false allegations and concocted charges against my country."

"The world is aware that this fabricated narrative comes from the epicentre of global terrorism, where ring leaders were sheltered for years. This nation conducts cross-border terrorism as a form of 'alternate diplomacy'," she said.

Today, Singh said, terrorism poses a grave challenge to the commitment of the international community to protect the right to life and security of people globally.

"Those who abet, finance and support terrorism in any form on territory under their control are in fact the worst violators of human rights," she said.

The world, in particular India, has suffered greatly on account of the activities by "practitioners of state-sponsored terrorism" and it is time to collectively take decisive and firm action against terror groups and their abettors who threaten the fundamental human right to life.

"We must speak out. Silence only emboldens terrorists. It also encourages their intimidatory tactics. India appeals to the international community to work together in the fight against terrorism and their sponsors," Singh said.

Earlier, Pakistan demanded an international investigation by the UN Human Rights Council into the situation in Kashmir and urged the world rights body not to remain "indifferent" after India revoked Jammu and Kashmir's special status.

On the issue of the National Register for Citizens in Assam, Singh said it was a "statutory, transparent, nondiscriminatory legal process mandated and monitored by the Supreme Court of India".

"Any decision that is taken during the process of its implementation will comply with the Indian law and will be inconsistent with India's democratic traditions," she said.