A terse message for Washington: "After all, we are all judged by what we do at home and not what we say abroad".
"In every democracy, there has to be the right balance between freedom of expression, sense of responsibility and public safety and order.
Democracies in particular should display this understanding in regard to other fellow democracies," MEA spokesman Randhir Jaiswal told reporters here on Thursday, during regular weekly briefing. The subtle message is an important missive to the United States from New Delhi as Washington from time to time applies double standards on protest vis-a-vis public order.
The External Affairs Ministry also said that the Human Rights Report released by the US State Department on Manipur is "deeply biased" and added that the Union government attaches "no value to it".
The report highlighted "significant" abuses in Manipur following the outbreak of ethnic conflict in May 2023, the raids by tax authorities on the BBC and cases of transnational repression like the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada.
When asked about the report, MEA spokesperson Jaiswal replied, "This report is deeply biased and reflects a poor understanding of India. We attach no value to it and urge you to do the same."
The report pointed out that at least 175 people were killed in Manipur and more than 60,000 were displaced due to the ongoing conflict between the Meitei and Kuki communities.
The violence erupted in May 2023 after a Tribal Solidarity March was organised by the All Tribal Students Union of Manipur (ATSUM) to protest against the inclusion of Meiteis in the ST category.
The report also mentioned the searches conducted by the Income Tax department at the Delhi and Mumbai offices of the UK-based broadcaster, BBC, on allegations of International Taxation and Transfer Pricing irregularities.
The searches were conducted weeks after the British broadcaster released a documentary on the 2002 Gujarat riots titled "India: The Modi Question".
The Human Rights Report also mentioned the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada, saying it indicated a "pattern of extrajudicial actions by state agents".
Following the release of the report, Robert Gilchrist, senior bureau official at the US State Department, had urged India to uphold its human rights commitments.
There have been several arrests as Columbia University in New York witnessed major protests over Israel's military offensive in Gaza. This had triggered a series of protests at other educational institutions including Yale and New York University (NYU) in recent days.
"After all, we are all judged by what we do at home and not what we say abroad," the spokesman said.
Phase 2 of Lok Sabha polls, April 26 :::: .... 89 seats, of which BJP had won 55, Congress 18
In second phase, 98% of booths in Bengal ‘critical’, to be manned by 272 companies of central forces. Polling is to be held for Darjeeling, Raiganj and Balurghat.
All three seats were won by BJP.
In Uttar Pradesh also for 8 seats going to the polls --- in 2019, BJP had won seven except Amroha by BSP.
Amroha (gen): BSP
Meerut (gen): BJP
Baghpat (gen): BJP
Ghaziabad (gen): BJP
Bulandshahr (SC): BJP
Gautam Buddha Nagar (gen): BJP
Aligarh (gen): BJP
Mathura (gen): BJP
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