J&K will always be part of India; Civil society groups can operate in country only as per law: SG Tushar Mehta at UN Human Rights Council

Solicitor General for India (SG) Tushar Mehta said at the United Nations that the activities of human rights defenders in India should be in conformity with the law of the land..Mehta is heading the Indian delegation at the United National Human Rights Council in its 41st Session of Universal Periodic Review (UPR), which is underway at Geneva. He said during his speech,"Civil society organisations can operate in India, but only as per law.".SG Mehta stated that India appreciates the role played by human rights defenders, civil society groups, and journalists in a democratic polity."India has always condemned instances of harassment, insults, smear campaigns and violent attacks against human rights defenders, activists, journalists and their family members," he said. .He also reiterated that the Union Territory of Jammu Kashmir and Ladakh were and will always be an integral and inalienable part of India."After the constitutional changes and reorganization of the erstwhile State of Jammu & Kashmir, the people of the region and now able to realize the full potential as other parts of the country. The changes have ensured better opportunities for all the people of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. Central laws include affirmative action for the vulnerable sections, the right to free and compulsory education, non-discriminatory inheritance laws, protections against domestic violence, empowerment of women, decriminalisation of same sex relations and grant of rights to transgender persons," said the Solicitor General. .On the issues of freedom of religion and minority rights, the SG stated, "India is a multilingual, multi-ethnic and multi-religious society and we not only respect but celebrate our diversity.".SG Mehta also opined that terming the Freedom of Religion Acts passed by several states in India as anti-conversion laws was a misnomer."Various states in India have also enacted the Freedom of Religion Act to ensure freedom of religion guaranteed under the Constitution. Such legislations impose restrictions on and prohibit conversions from one religion to another by the use of force, inducement, allurement or fraudulent means. Thus, referring to such legislation as anti-conversion laws would be a misnomer. The Supreme Court has also upheld the constitutional validity of States' Freedom of Religion Acts," he said..Aside from SG Mehta, the Indian delegation also comprised of senior officials from the Union Ministries of External Affairs, Women and Child Development, Social Justice and Empowerment, Minority Affairs, NITI Aayog and Vice-Chancellor of National Law University, Delhi, Prof SKD Rao.