Raghoo Puri, First Secretary at the Permanent Mission of India to the UN, challenged Pakistan’s record on minority rights and urged it to focus on its own domestic issues, including economic distress and lawlessness.

India at the United Nations criticized Pakistan for allegedly spreading propaganda and occupying territories in Jammu and Kashmir, calling on Pakistan to vacate those areas and address its own citizens’ needs.

The Third Committee of the UN General Assembly, which handles social, humanitarian, and human rights matters, framed the discussion, underscoring the intersection of human rights discourse with geopolitical rivalry between India and Pakistan.

Deputy Secretary Barkha Tamrakar highlighted measures to uphold judicial standards in climate-related governance, noting the National Green Tribunal and the Supreme Court’s protection of fundamental rights in addressing climate impacts.

The article notes India’s reference to the independence of judges and lawyers as part of climate-related governance discussions and reiterates India’s commitment to climate action within its constitutional framework.

India reaffirmed its climate-change stance at the UN, advocating for equity, climate justice, sustainable development, CBDR-RC, and drawing on constitutional and judicial mechanisms supporting environmental protection.

Puri emphasized India’s protection of minority rights as a sovereign domestic responsibility, highlighting a diverse society and constitutional safeguards for minorities.

The Indian delegation aligned with the UN Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues in acknowledging minority rights as primarily a sovereign responsibility, while stressing India’s multi-religious, multi-ethnic society and constitutional protections.

Defending India’s record on minority rights, Puri described India as a multi-religious, multi-ethnic, multilingual society with constitutional safeguards protecting all citizens, arguing that protecting minority rights is a sovereign responsibility.

In a separate UN dialogue, Bhavika Mangalanandan questioned a report on religious discrimination during COVID-19 and criticized its focus for overlooking similar issues in developed nations.

Puri referenced Pakistan’s ‘Form 47 government’ to imply manipulation of the 2024 general election results, asserting the Pakistani military are the real rulers and that the civilian government is constrained.

He argued that the Pakistani military’s influence undermines civilian governance and cited the prioritization of military interests over civilian instruction.