New York: Launching a scathing attack on Pakistan and a United Nations Special Rapporteur, India has strongly condemned the “irony” of Islamabad preaching about burial rights when it notoriously refused to accept the bodies of its own soldiers during the 1999 Kargil War. The stern rebuttal was delivered during an interactive UN dialogue concerning the freedom of religion and belief, specifically focusing on funeral rights in exceptional circumstances.
Representing India at the United Nations in New York, First Secretary Bhavika Mangalanandan systematically dismantled Pakistan’s ongoing rhetoric regarding minority rights and religious freedoms. “It is deeply ironic that a State that did not even accept the bodies of its own soldiers who were killed in combat in 1999 in Kargil, unabashedly speaks with fervor on faith, religious freedom, and burial rights,” Mangalanandan stated.
She further reminded the Pakistani delegation and the international community that it was, in fact, the Indian Army that stepped forward to perform the final rites. The Indian armed forces buried numerous fallen Pakistani soldiers with full military honours and in strict accordance with Islamic traditions after Islamabad disowned them.
Turning her attention to the UN Special Rapporteur’s report, the First Secretary expressed sharp disappointment. She pointed out that the document disproportionately blamed the ‘Global South’ for wrongful practices concerning funeral rights during the COVID-19 pandemic, while turning a completely blind eye to similar tragic mishandlings in developed nations. Furthermore, she criticised the report for its “fervent advocacy” for the rights of terrorists, noting that such individuals routinely violate the most fundamental and sacred human right—the right to life.
Addressing Pakistan’s persistent interference in India’s internal matters, Mangalanandan advised the neighbouring country to redirect its “deep obsession” with the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir towards the regions currently under its illegal occupation, specifically citing areas like Rawalakot.
India’s bold response also highlighted the rapidly diminishing minority population in Pakistan and its dismal track record on human rights. The Indian diplomat firmly established that a nation failing to protect its own minority communities holds no moral authority to lecture the world’s largest democracy on internal affairs.