'Pak cries victim when they actually are the perpetrators'

Vijay Thakur Singh (centre) said there was a need to call out those who are misusing the UNHRC for malicious political agenda under the garb of human rights. Pic/ANI Twitter

Revocation of Jammu and Kashmir's special status was a sovereign decision taken by the Indian Parliament and the country cannot accept any interference in its internal affairs, India on Tuesday asserted at the UN Human Rights Council, while strongly rejecting Pakistan's "malicious" campaign on the issue.

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".

Decision after debate
Singh, on UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet's Oral Update on Monday, said the recent legislative measures taken by India in J&K 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 legislations passed by Parliament, is entirely internal to India. No country can accept interference in its internal affairs, certainly not India," Singh said.

'Concocted charges'
In an apparent reference to the Pakistani delegation led by Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, she 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'," Singh said.

Today, she 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.

On Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's provocative anti-India statements, First Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs Vimarsh Aryan said, "Some Pakistani leaders have even gone as far as calling for jihad to encourage violence in Jammu and Kashmir and third countries to create a picture of genocide, which even they know is far from reality."

Earlier, Pakistan had demanded an international investigation by the UNHRC into the situation in Kashmir and urged the world rights body not to remain "indifferent," after the special status was revoked.

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