Brief
India rejects UN criticism of Delhi protest crackdown as interference
India’s foreign ministry says law‑enforcement actions during the Cockroach Janata Party protest were lawful and the UN’s remarks are unwarranted.
By Felo News Desk · Published
India on Sunday dismissed the United Nations Human Rights Office’s concerns about the detention of demonstrators during a Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) rally in Delhi, calling the remarks "unacceptable interference" in its internal affairs.
What happened
On 10 October 2026, the CJP organised a large‑scale demonstration in New Delhi. According to earlier reports, police detained more than 1,000 protesters, opposition figures, lawyers and journalists, sealed off Jantar Mantar, cancelled train services and suspended mobile internet. The crackdown was framed by authorities as necessary to maintain public order.
What the reports add
New Indian Express notes that the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) released a video statement on X, where spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal reiterated that the Indian Constitution guarantees the right to peaceful assembly, but that right is subject to public‑order considerations. Jaiswal also claimed Indian courts remain accessible for redressal of grievances.
The UN Human Rights Office, through spokesperson Thameen Al‑Kheetan, expressed concern over “mass detentions” of demonstrators, protest leaders, civil‑society members, lawyers and journalists, urging India to "immediately and unconditionally" release those arbitrarily detained.
What was said
Randhir Jaiswal told New Indian Express, "We have seen certain remarks by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights about yesterday's events in New Delhi… The OHCHR's concerns are therefore unwarranted and constitute an unacceptable interference in the internal affairs of India," citing ANI.
He also accused the OHCHR of "extreme selectivity" for not commenting on violent responses to protests in neighbouring countries or on law‑enforcement actions near its own base.
Thameen Al‑Kheetan, UN Human Rights spokesperson, urged Indian authorities to respect the right to peaceful assembly and to release those detained without justification.
How it came about
The protest was triggered by the Cockroach Janata Party’s call to demonstrate against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Earlier Felo News coverage on 10 October reported the mass arrests and a city‑wide lockdown, providing context for today’s diplomatic exchange.
Key facts
- India’s MEA called UN Human Rights Office concerns "unacceptable interference" in internal affairs. (newindianexpress.com)
- The UN office expressed concern over mass detentions of demonstrators, leaders, lawyers and journalists in Delhi. (newindianexpress.com)
- More than 1,000 protesters and opposition figures were detained during the CJP demonstration on 10 October 2026. (newindianexpress.com)
Sources
- [1] newindianexpress.com — originally reported as “India calls UN criticism of Delhi crackdown ‘unacceptable interference’ in internal affairs”
