After abstention on vote against China at UN, India bats for human rights of Uyghur Muslims

After abstaining on vote against China for its alleged atrocities in Xinjiang, the Centre said that the vote was in line with its long held position that country specific resolutions are never helpful.

A day after abstaining on a vote against China's treatment of Uyghur Muslims at the UN Human Rights Council, India on Friday said that the human rights of people of Xinjiang should be respected.

At a press briefing, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, "India remains committed to upholding all human rights. India’s vote is in line with its long held position that country specific resolutions are never helpful. India favours a dialogue to deal with such issues."

"We have taken note of the OHCHR Assessment of human rights concerns in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, People’s Republic of China. The human rights of the people of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region should be respected and guaranteed. We hope that the relevant party will address the situation objectively and properly," he added.

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On Thursday, India was among the 11 countries which abstained in voting against China for their alleged human rights abuse of the Uyghur population in the Xinjiang province.

While 17 members voted in favour of the resolution at UNHRC, 19 members voted against it, including China, Pakistan, and Nepal. Eleven members abstained, including India, Brazil, Mexico, and Ukraine.

Since 2017, there has been extensive documentation of China’s crackdown against Uyghurs, Kazakhs, and other predominantly Muslim ethnic minorities in Xinjiang, carried out under the guise of fighting terrorism.