Subramanian Swamy hits back after UN official criticises Muslim comments

UNITED NATIONS: BJP Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy has sought the source of the news through which he was targeted and now he has called it a "cut and paste production" after a UN human rights official criticised him saying that Swamys alleged statements about Muslims were "extremely alarming".

"That is cut and paste production. Get the unedited 2-hour interview tape which they are declining to give me," said the BJP MP after a short version of the link to his interview where he made the purported comments was provided as "source" of the UN official's charge against him.

Earlier, Under-Secretary-General Adama Dieng said on Monday that alleged statements attributed to Swamy like "all people are not equal", and that "Muslims are not in an 'equal category' as others" were extremely alarming. Dieng added, "Hate speech and the dehumanisation of others go against international human rights norms and values."

However, the BJP lawmaker then while speaking to IANS, shot back and demanded to know "the source or medium" of the alleged statement attributed to Swamy by Dieng. Swamy asked, "Or is it cut and paste fake news?"

Meanwhile, Dieng, who is also the special adviser on the prevention of genocide, said he was concerned by "reports of increased hate speech and discrimination against minority" since the adoption of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). Interestingly, he described the violent attacks on non-Muslims in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh as "alleged persecution".

Dieng claimed that the expedited citizenship given to non-Muslim minorities should be extended to Muslims in order to be non-discriminatory. Excluding Muslims "is contrary to India's obligations under international human rights law, in particular on non-discrimination," he said. (IANS) 

Also watch: An Exclusive Interview with Naaz Sultana only on The Sentinel Assam