United Nations' Special Adviser on Prevention of Genocide, Under-Secretary-General Adama Dieng, has expressed concern over reports of increased hate speech and discrimination against minority communities after the adoption of the Citizenship Amendment Act in December 2019.
In a May 18 note to Indian media, Dieng said "though the objective of the act, to provide protection to minority communities is commendable, it is concerning that this protection is not extended to all groups, including Muslims. This is contrary to India’s obligations under international human rights law, in particular on non-discrimination.”
The UN Special Adviser also expressed concern over reports that "demonstrations against the law, which occurred across some regions of India since its enactment, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, had reportedly resulted in the injury and death of civilians, attacks on religious sites, as well as an increase in expressions of hate against India’s Muslim community."
India is yet to respond officially to the note.
The note also slammed Subramanian Swamy for his alleged comments on equality in a video interview.
It said, “Statements such as those expressed by Member of Parliament Subramanian Swamy, that all people are not equal, and that Muslims are not in an ‘equal category’ as others, are extremely alarming. Hate speech and the dehumanisation of others goes against international human rights norms and values.”
Swamy shot back with a stern reply that 'this is a blatant lie and he will take steps to sue him in court.'
He said in a tweet: UN Under-Secretary-General Mr Adama Dieng slandered me in a press release in New York saying I had said in an interview to a Pakistani owned TV channel that Muslims are not equal to Hindus in Indian Constitution. This is a blatant lie so I will take steps to sue him in court.
Swamy’s comments that the UN note is referring to are a part of an interview that Swamy gave to Vice Media where he can be seen responding to question connected to Article 14 that guarantees Right to Equality to Indians.
Here’s a clip of the interview that Swamy gave to Vice Media:
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