'Nobody is above law': India rejects UN's misleading narrative on journalist Rana Ayyub

New Delhi, Feb 22: In a strong response to the claims of United Nations of judicial harassment on so-called journalist and liberal Rana Ayyub, Permanent Mission of India to United Nations, Geneva has said that the claims were baseless.

 

 

Citing UN human rights experts, the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council claimed that the journalist had been subjected to "legal harassment by the Indian authorities in relation to her reporting for a number of years." It had said, "Relentless misogynistic and sectarian attacks online against journalist Rana Ayyub must be promptly and thoroughly investigated by the Indian authorities and the judicial harassment against her brought to an end at once, stress UN experts."

 

 

In a move that has already evoked a sharp reaction from India, the MEA responded "Allegations of so-called judicial harassment are baseless & unwarranted. India upholds the rule of law, but is equally clear that no one is above the law. We expect SRs to be objective & accurately informed. Advancing a misleading narrative only tarnishes @UNGeneva’s reputation."

 

 

The development came after the Enforcement Directorate initiated a probe into Ayyub over the alleged misutilisation of funds collected for three campaigns. Investigating the money laundering case, ED officials claimed that the funds were raised in a completely pre-planned and systematic manner in the name of charity. The agency stated that the funds that were raised by the Mumbai-based journalist were not utilized completely for the purpose that they were intended for.

 

 

The United Nations 'interference' in an ongoing internal investigation in India has triggered outrage as to why a global body is bringing up an issue about someone who is accused of misusing funds.