India and Pakistan engaged in a war of words over the Kashmir issue on Tuesday at the UNHRC with New Delhi stoutly defending its "sovereign decision" to revoke Jammu and Kashmir's special status, an issue on which Islamabad demanded an international investigation by the global rights body.
Speaking at the 42nd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council here, Secretary (East) in the External Affairs Ministry Vijay Thakur Singh hit out at Pakistan's "malicious" campaign on the Kashmir issue and condemned "state sponsored terrorism".
She asserted that the revocation of Jammu and Kashmir's special status was India's sovereign decision and it cannot accept any interference in the country's internal affairs.
Responding to UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet's Oral Update on Monday, Singh said the recent legislative measures taken by India in Jammu and Kashmir were within the framework of its Constitution.
Bachelet on Monday expressed "deep concern" over the impact of restrictions in Kashmir, and asked India to ease the current lockdowns to ensure people's access to basic services.
"These decisions were taken by our Parliament...We wish to reiterate that this sovereign decision...is entirely internal to India. No country can accept interference in its internal affairs, certainly not India," Singh said.
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Exercising its right to respond to Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi's statement at the UNHRC, First Secretary in the MEA Vimarsh Aryan said Article 370 was a temporary provision of the Indian Constitution.
"We are not surprised at Pakistan's hysterical statements with false narratives aimed to politicise and polarise this forum. Pakistan realises that our decision cuts away ground from under its feet by creating obstacles in its continuing sponsorship of cross-border terrorism," he said.
Amidst Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's provocative anti-India statements, Aryan said, "Some Pakistani leaders have even gone as far as calling for jihad to encourage violence in Jammu and Kashmir...to create a picture of genocide, which even they know is far from reality."
Despite challenging circumstances, Singh said, "Democratic processes have been initiated. Restrictions are being eased continuously. Temporary preventive and precautionary measures were necessitated to ensure safety and security of our citizens in the face of credible threats of cross-border terrorism."
In an apparent reference to the Pakistani delegation led by Qureshi, she said, "One delegation has given a running commentary with offensive rhetoric of false allegations and concocted charges against my country."
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