India has issued a rebuttal to Switzerland at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), describing comments made by the Swiss delegation on the treatment of minorities in India as “surprising, shallow, and ill-informed.”
The exchange took place on Wednesday during the General Debate on the oral update by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights at the 60th Session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.
Speaking at the Council, Switzerland called on India to take stronger action to safeguard the rights of minorities. The Swiss delegate also urged New Delhi to “take effective measures to protect the minorities and uphold the rights to the freedom of expression and the freedom of the media.”
Switzerland currently holds the presidency of the UN Human Rights Council, making its observations carry additional diplomatic weight.
India’s Response
Responding on behalf of India, Kshitij Tyagi, Counsellor at the Permanent Mission of India in Geneva, rejected the Swiss statement and said:
“We would also like to respond to the surprising, shallow, and ill-informed remarks made by Switzerland, a close friend and partner,” Mr Tyagi said. “As it holds the UNHRC presidency, it is all the more important for Switzerland to avoid wasting the council’s time with narratives that are blatantly false and do not do justice to the reality of India. Instead, it should focus on its own challenges such as racism, systematic discrimination and xenophobia. As the world’s largest, most diverse and vibrant democracy, with a civilizational embrace of pluralism, India remains ready to help Switzerland address these concerns.”
