India slams UN rights experts for voicing concern over Kashmir

NEW DELHI: India has criticised UN rights experts for voicing concerns about constitutional changes made in the Muslim-majority territory of Kashmir, where freedom fighters have been fighting for independence for three decades.

A statement released by the two special rapporteurs on minority issues and freedom of religion or belief Thursday called into question their neutrality and objectivity, foreign ministry spokesman Anurag Srivastava said.

In their statement, the special rapporteurs said a decision by the Indian government last year to end the autonomy of Jammu and Kashmir state and enact new laws could curtail the political participation of Muslims. Muslims and other minority groups also stood to lose on issues such as employment and land ownership, they said. Srivastava said Jammu and Kashmir was an integral part of India and the changes made in its status were enacted by parliament. One of the changes was that laws in force in the rest of India would apply to the people of Kashmir, allowing them the same legal rights as the rest of India, he said. “This press release calls into question the larger principles of objectivity and neutrality that the SRs (special rapporteurs) are mandated by the Human Rights Council to adhere to,” Srivastava said in a statement late Thursday night. He said the special rapporteurs’ statement was released as India hosted international diplomats in Kashmir.

Officials said the visit was intended to showcase efforts to restore normalcy a year after the region was stripped of its special status. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has said it revoked Kashmir’s special status to try to fully integrate the region with the rest of India and open it up for faster economic growth. — Reuters