New Delhi, Mar 03: The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights filing an application in the Supreme Court over the Citizenship Amendment Act in an unprecedented move strongly criticised by India, which said no foreign party has any locus standi to intervene in its internal matters.
India’s Permanent Mission in Geneva was informed on Monday evening by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet that her office has filed an intervention application in the Supreme Court on the amended citizenship law, MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said in response to queries.
“The CAA is an internal matter of India and concerns the sovereign right of the Indian Parliament to make laws. We strongly believe that no foreign party has any locus standi on issues pertaining to India’s sovereignty,” Kumar said.
“India is clear that the CAA is constitutionally valid and complies with all requirements of its constitutional values,” he said.
“It is reflective of our long standing national commitment in respect of human rights issues arising from the tragedy of the Partition of India,” he said.
“India is a democratic country governed by the rule of law. We all have utmost respect for and full trust in our independent judiciary. We are confident that our sound and legally sustainable position will be vindicated by the Supreme Court,” he said.
When asked whether OHCHR can approach the Supreme Court, an official said it was for the Supreme Court to decide.
The CAA, which was notified on January 10, grants Indian citizenship to non-Muslim minorities — Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian — who migrated to India from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh till December 31, 2014, following persecution over their faith.
The country has witnessed widespread protests across the country over the CAA.
Meanwhile, the ruling BJP lashed out at the UNHCR over its application in the Supreme Court against the CAA, saying the international body has not gone to courts against repression in China and Pakistan, but has no “shame” in opposing an Indian law that helps persecuted minorities.
“Really, UNHRC? No court intervention against China (repression/torture in Tibet & Xinjiang), Iran (torture/killings of political prisoners) or Pakistan (torture, genocide in Balochistan). U have no shame opposing CAA, humanitarian aid to persecuted minorities? Even hypocrisy has limits,” BJP vice-president and spokesperson Baijayant Jay Panda tweeted.
Senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel however attacked the government over the issue saying UNHCR filing an application in the Supreme Court over the CAA, is “unwarranted interference” but it is the Modi dispensation that is to be blamed for the “mess”.
“No doubt that UN’s intervening application is a case of unwarranted interference in our matters,” Patel said in a tweet.
“But who is to blame for this mess? The Government of India for creating a window for such interference by enacting a law which breaches global standards on human rights,” the Congress treasurer said.
