India Accuses UN Rapporteur of Bias Over Funeral Rights Report
India criticized UN Special Rapporteur Nazila Ghanea for bias in a report on funeral rights, alleging she ignored developed nations and the impact of terrorism.
The Government of India criticized United Nations Special Rapporteur Nazila Ghanea for bias in her report titled "Freedom of Religion or Belief and Funeral Rights in Exceptional Circumstances." During a General Assembly Third Committee session on October 23, India accused Ghanea of focusing exclusively on the Global South regarding burial practices during the Covid-19 pandemic while omitting similar occurrences in developed nations, specifically citing mass graves in New York City.
Bhavika Mangalanandan, a first secretary in India's UN Mission, argued that the rapporteur ignored the gravity of terrorism and the psychological damage it inflicts on a nation. The report in question alleged that security operations in Kashmir resulted in bodies being buried in remote areas without being returned to families, and that burial restrictions were imposed during Citizenship Amendment Act protests.
During the session, India also dismissed allegations from Pakistan. Mangalanandan stated that Pakistan has failed to protect its own minorities and noted its refusal to accept the bodies of its soldiers killed during the 1999 Kargil conflict.
