India today criticised the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) for what it described as double standards and extreme selectivity in its public positions, while rejecting the organisation’s remarks on the previous day’s events in New Delhi.

In a statement, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal described the OHCHR’s remarks as unwarranted and an unacceptable interference in India’s internal affairs. Mr. Jaiswal said that violent responses to protests in India’s neighbourhood, as well as law enforcement actions in the organisation’s own vicinity, had gone unremarked. He stressed that such double standards erode the credibility of the organisation and contribute to a loss of faith in multilateralism.

The spokesperson highlighted that India is the world’s largest democracy, where the right to peaceful assembly is guaranteed by the Constitution and safeguarded by institutions, an independent judiciary and a free media. He further stated that Indian citizens exercise this right subject to the maintenance of public order and safety. Mr. Jaiswal added that law enforcement authorities act in accordance with the law and that the country’s courts remain available to address grievances.