Swaraj said that it is a consistent policy of past governments that the UN cannot interfere in India's internal affairs. But, she threw the question open in order for all political parties to evolve a consensus ahead of rejecting the UN request.
The entire political spectrum which met here under Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss the prevailing situation in Jammu and Kashmir, rejected the idea of involving the United Nations (UN) or any third-party in India's internal affairs. Earlier, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj elicited views of representatives of political parties, informing them that the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in a letter dated July 29 had asked permission to visit Kashmir. On July 22, Pakistan had approached the UNHRC over the Kashmir situation and requested it to send a fact-finding mission, after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif chaired a high-level meeting.
Swaraj said that it is a consistent policy of past governments that the UN cannot interfere in India's internal affairs. But, she threw the question open in order for all political parties to evolve a consensus ahead of rejecting the UN request.
But, political parties missed the point that India had issued a standing invitation to UN Special Rapporteurs on September 14, 2011. The last two UN Special Rapporteurs who visited India were the Special Rapporteur on Extra Judicial Summary or Arbitrary Executions, in March 2012 followed by the UN Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women in April, 2013.
Also, last year in November, India took a stand against Nepal for the first time at the UNHRC, complaining that it was "concerned" over "lack of political progress" and incidents of "violence, extra-judicial killings and ethnic discrimination" in the Himalayan country. Noted human rights activist Ravi Nayar told dna, that contrary to what Swaraj called the consistent position of past governments, India has not always denied UN teams the privilege of visiting and probing different issues. "We have taken up issues related to Madhesis in Nepal and Tamils in Sri Lanka to the UN forums," he said, rejecting the idea that India has always adhered the policy of non-intervention in affairs of other countries or a belief in keeping things strictly in the bilateral closet. Nayar, who heads South Asian Documentation and Research Centre has also made a formal complaint to the UN Special Rapporteurs on the Freedom of Assembly and the Right to Health requesting them to visit Kashmir.
As per the information available there, already seven requests from the UN seeking permission for its special Rapporteurs are pending with the Ministry of External Affairs. These are in the field of cultural rights, implications for human rights of the environmentally sound management and disposal of hazardous substances, on contemporary forms of slavery, including their causes and consequences, forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, torture and other cruel inhumane or degrading treatments or punishments, on enforced or involuntary disappearances and Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples.
The following special Rapporteurs have requested visits to India that are pending with the MEA.
1. In the field of Cultural Rights
2. On the implications for Human Rights of the environmentally sound management and disposal of hazardous substances
3. On contemporary forms of slavery, including their causes and consequences
4. On contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance
5. On torture and other cruel inhumane or degrading treatment or punishment
6. Working group on enforced or involuntary disappearances
7. Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
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