'Baseless': India Slams UN Special Rapporteur’s Remark On Kashmir G20 Meet

The UN Special Rapporteur claimed that the Modi government is “trying to justify what some have called a military occupation by using a G20 meeting and showing an international ‘seal of approval’."

New Delhi: India on Tuesday dismissed UN Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues Fernand de Varennes’ statement against holding a G20 meeting in Jammu and Kashmir citing human rights violations there. India termed UN Special Rapporteur's statement "baseless and unwarranted" and criticised him for “trying to politicise this issue”. Permanent Mission of India in Geneva also stated that India as G20 president has the right to host its meetings in any part of the country. In his statement, Fernand de Varennes said that holding a G20 meeting in Jammu and Kashmir while “human rights violations are ongoing is supporting India’s efforts to normalise the denial of democratic and other rights of Kashmiri Muslims and minorities”

Taking to Twitter, India's permanent mission in Geneva said, "We @IndiaUNGeneva strongly reject the statement issued by SR on minority issues @fernanddev and the baseless and unwarranted allegations in it. As G20 president, it's India's prerogative to host its meetings in any part of the country."

We @IndiaUNGeneva strongly reject the statement issued by SR on minority issues @fernanddev & the baseless & unwarranted allegations in it. As G20 President, it’s India’s prerogative to host its meetings in any part of the country. (1/2)@UNHumanRights @volker_turk @MEAIndia — India at UN, Geneva (@IndiaUNGeneva) May 16, 2023

"We are aghast that @fernanddev has acted irresponsibly to politicize this issue, misused his position as SR to publicize on social media his presumptive and prejudiced conclusions in a gross violation of the Code of Conduct for SRs," the Indian mission said.

UN Special Repporteur's Statement On G20 Meet

Dr Fernand de Varennes, the UN Special Rapporteur claimed that the government is “trying to justify what some have called a military occupation by using a G20 meeting and showing an international ‘seal of approval’, despite what Volker Turk, the UN human rights chief, told the UN Human Rights Council a few weeks ago was a concerning human rights situation in the Kashmir region”.

Holding a #g20 meeting in #jammuandkashmir while massive #humanrights violations are ongoing is lending support to attemps by #India to normalize the brutal & repressive denial of democratic & other rights of #kashmiri #Muslims and #minorities. pic.twitter.com/fjLSjovfKX — UN Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues (@fernanddev) May 15, 2023

He also alleged in his statement that Kashmiri muslims are facing massive rights violation including torture, extra judicial killings and curtailment of politicial rights after India revoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.