India rejects UN human-rights office criticism of Delhi protest detentions

The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights raised concerns about the detention of protesters in Delhi, where demonstrators called for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to step down over alleged roll-revision irregularities. India’s Ministry of External Affairs, through spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, dismissed the UN’s comments as unwarranted, unacceptable, and an intrusion into the country’s internal affairs.

Jaiswal argued that the UN body shows extreme selectivity by not commenting on similar protests elsewhere. He cautioned that this approach could undermine faith in multilateralism and damage the UN’s credibility. The protests, led by the Cockroach Janata Party and other groups, have been met with increased security measures and restrictions, while the Supreme Court has intervened to balance the right to peaceful assembly with the need to protect essential services.