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India vs Switzerland at UN over measures to 'protect minorities': Who said what
After the Swiss delegate's suggestion on “protecting minorities”, India reminded the European country of challenges on its own land.
India hit back strongly at Switzerland at the United Nations after the country's representative raised concerns about the treatment of minorities in India. The pushback came following Switzerland's suggestion to India on "protecting minorities".
In response, India reminded the European country of “racism, systematic discrimination, and xenophobia" on its own land, urging it to focus on its own challenges.
What did Switzerland say?
On Tuesday, the Swiss delegate at the UN urged India to protect minorities and uphold freedom of expression and the media. The country had called on India to “take effective measures to protect minorities and uphold the rights to the freedom of expression and the freedom of the media".
In the Indian context, minorities typically refer to religious groups such as Muslims, Sikhs, and Christians, who make up smaller proportions of the population compared to the Hindu majority.
How India responded
Kshitij Tyagi, counsellor in the Permanent Mission of India, issued a response a day later, reminding Switzerland of the challenges it grapples with: "“racism, systematic discrimination, and xenophobia".
Dismissing the Swiss delegate's remarks as "surprising, shallow and ill-informed", Tyagi urged the country to focus on its own issues, asserting that Switzerland wasn't akin to the reality of India.
"We would also like to respond to the surprising, shallow and ill-informed remarks made by Switzerland, a close friend and partner. As it holds the UNHRC presidency, it is all the more important for Switzerland to avoid wasting the council's time with narratives that are blatantly false and do not do justice to the reality of India. Instead, it should focus on its own challenges such as racism, systematic discrimination and xenophobia," the Indian diplomat said.
Tyagi also highlighted India's diverse and vibrant democracy, asserting that the country had "a civilizational embrace of pluralism".
"India remains ready to help Switzerland address these concerns," the diplomat further added.
