'UN experts oxymoron': Rubio dismisses criticism over India protest crackdown
What's the story
United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio has dismissed the term "UN experts" as an "oxymoron," while addressing the United Nations's criticism of India's handling of anti-Election Commission protests. He called it a "domestic political matter" for Indians to decide, adding that Washington would not interfere in India's internal politics. "Well, the UN experts, my favorite. The UN experts is an oxymoron," he said when asked about the protests and subsequent allegations by UN experts regarding India's response.
Democratic values
Rubio emphasizes distinction between peaceful protests and riots
Rubio emphasized that demonstrations and differing political opinions are part of democratic discourse.
But at the same time, he distinguished peaceful protests from riots involving vandalism and destruction of property.
"I am not talking about the riots, what you see in Europe. They are vandalizing and breaking and burning down buildings," he said.
"But we're not going to comment on internal political matters. That's for the Indian people to decide and navigate," he said.
Diplomatic response
India rejects UN's allegations, defends human rights record
India has rejected the UN's allegations of a crackdown on demonstrators.
Barkha Tamrakar, Deputy Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs, earlier said India opposes the use of human rights as a "political tool or for selective targeting" of nations.
"India firmly opposes any attempt to convert unverified allegations, incomplete statistics, or a report that contains no India country observation into a negative characterization of the world's largest democracy," she said at the UN General Assembly's Third Committee.
Protest scrutiny
UN experts' report sparks controversy
The statement came after over 20 UN human rights experts expressed alarm over what they termed a "repeatedly heavy-handed police response" to peaceful youth-led demonstrations in Delhi.
"Despite the non-violent nature of the assemblies, law enforcement agencies have reportedly deployed force against unarmed students, including lathi charges and have prevented thousands from joining the protests," they said.
They said such actions violate "India's core international legal obligations, including the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly, freedom of expression, liberty, security."