- Indian diplomat called UN youth report ‘hearsay’, unverified.
- Report cited youth retaliation; India defended constitutional freedoms.
- India highlighted constructive protest responses and youth engagement.
India has pushed back against a United Nations human rights expert’s report on young people in the country, rejecting its references to a satirical political movement and allegations that youth faced retaliation for discussing mental health and gender justice. Speaking at the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly’s Third Committee, Indian diplomat Anuj Swarup criticised Special Rapporteur Gina Romero for relying on anonymous submissions to make broader assertions about India, according to news agency Press Trust of India (PTI).
Swarup, First Secretary at India’s Permanent Mission to the UN, argued that the report lacked sufficient verification and urged the expert to exercise greater scrutiny before drawing conclusions about the country.
India Calls Report ‘Hearsay’
During an interactive dialogue with Romero on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association, Swarup objected to the report’s suggestion that young Indians faced retaliation or stigmatisation for raising issues such as mental health and gender justice.
He said the report cited “unnamed submissions” in a footnote to support its observations. “A sweeping charge against the world’s largest youth population, resting on anonymous and unverified claims, is not evidence. It is hearsay dressed up as a UN report, and my delegation rejects it outright,” Swarup said, according to PTI.
He also questioned the use of anonymous inputs to draw conclusions about a population of 1.4 billion people.
“A mandate holder who relies on anonymous inputs to generalise for 1.4 billion people does a disservice to the very mandate she holds. We urge this Special Rapporteur to verify before she vilifies and to bring the required rigour and fairness in her reports,” he said.
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CJP Mentioned In UN Report
Romero’s report referred to a “satirical political movement” created by young people in India, identified in the account as the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP). It also stated that “young people from India reported retaliation or stigmatisation for discussing mental health or gender justice”.
Swarup questioned the report’s approach and said its conclusions undermined confidence in international institutions. “This level of arbitrary report writing is precisely the reason that the United Nations and its institutions have lost credibility.”
The Indian diplomat also challenged the report’s characterisation of the political environment, arguing that the existence of a satirical youth movement able to criticise the government and engage with political leaders contradicted the suggestion of a repressive atmosphere.
Constitutional Rights Defended
India’s representative maintained that the country’s legal and institutional framework protects freedom of speech, peaceful assembly and association.
Swarup cited Article 19 of the Indian Constitution, which guarantees these freedoms to citizens, alongside safeguards provided by an independent judiciary, a free press and the National Human Rights Commission.
He also questioned the report’s description of the political environment through a rhetorical challenge. “In which repressive State does a satirical youth party question the government, marches on the capital, and then sits across the table with senior national leaders,” Swarup said.
He further referred to remarks made by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights at the Human Rights Council the previous month, which highlighted dialogue with young leaders in the context of a youth-led movement in India.
“Perhaps that update escaped the Special Rapporteur’s attention,” Swarup said.
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Government’s Response To Exam Protests
Swarup also cited the government’s response to student demonstrations over alleged irregularities in public examinations during the summer as an example of engagement with young people.
According to the diplomat, the government responded constructively to the protests. He said Parliament amended the Public Examinations Act within weeks, doubled punishments for paper leaks, overhauled the examination system and established fast-track courts in every state to prosecute examination fraud.
The measures were presented as evidence of the government’s response to concerns raised by students.
Youth Participation In Development
Highlighting young people’s role in national policymaking, Swarup referred to the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue, which brought together more than five million young people to contribute ideas on national priorities.
He urged Romero to apply greater rigour and fairness when preparing reports concerning India. Romero, a Colombian human rights advocate, serves as the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association. The exchange took place during the Third Committee’s examination of human rights issues at the 81st UN General Assembly session.
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