India rejects UN expert's report on youth freedom, asks to verify claims

India also termed the report ironic, taking note of the "satirical political movement" created by the country's youth | Image: Bloomberg

India has rejected as "hearsay" a report by a UN human rights expert that has taken note of the "satirical political movement" created by the country's youth, with New Delhi calling on the expert to "verify" before vilifying issues using unverified claims.

First Secretary in the Permanent Mission of India to the UN Anuj Swarup delivered the national statement at the 81st Session of the UNGA Third Committee at the interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association.

Swarup voiced objection to the report of the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and Association Gina Romero, calling out her assertion that young people in India face retaliation or stigmatisation for discussing mental health or gender justice.

Swarup said Romero merely cites "unnamed submissions" in the footnote.

"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.

"A mandate holder who relies on anonymous inputs to generalise for 1.4 billion people does a disservice to the very mandate she holds.