'Reason UN has lost credibility': India hits out at UN report alleging 'youth repression,' questions reliance on anonymous submissions

India on Thursday (Oct 16) hit out at the UN for relying on anonymous submissions to make claims about the alleged ill treatment of young people in the country. Addressing the 81st Session of the UNGA Third Committee, the Indian representative challenged a UN report on youth activism, which accused India of youth repression, and said that it was "heresy dressed up as a UN report".

Calling the approach of Gina Romero, the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, unverified and damaging to the credibility of the UN's human rights institutions, Anuj Swarup, First Secretary of India's delegation, said, this was "precisely the reason the UN has lost credibility".

Anonymous accusations not evidence: India at UN

Delivering the statement during an interactive dialogue with Gina Romero, India expressed its outrage against the report 'Youth activism: from systemic exclusion to real participation', which discusses barriers faced by young people exercising their rights to peaceful assembly, association and political participation. The report claims that young people from India reported retaliation or stigmatisation for discussing mental health or gender justice.

“A sweeping charge against the world's largest youth population resting on anonymous and unverified claims is not evidence,” Swarup said, adding that India rejected the allegation. He described the report's approach as “hearsay dressed up as a UN report” and urged the Special Rapporteur to verify claims before publishing them.

What does the UN report say?

Romero's report, dated July 15, 2026, draws on 190 submissions, including contributions from 180 young people, youth-led organisations, non-governmental organisations, an ombudsperson's office and 10 states. It also draws on consultations with more than 500 youth-led organisations and activists worldwide.

It examines youth activism across 97 states and regions, rather than focusing exclusively on India.

The India-specific reference appears in its discussion of educational institutions and academic freedom. It says young people from India reported retaliation or stigmatisation for discussing mental health or gender justice.

"Young people from India reported retaliation or stigmatisation for discussing mental health or gender justice." However, the report does not identify those contributors in the passage.

India cites constitutional protections and youth engagement

Swarup said India's Constitution guarantees freedom of assembly, association, speech and expression under Article 19, with protections provided by an independent judiciary, a free press and the National Human Rights Commission.

He also cited the government's response to protests over irregularities in public examinations, saying Parliament amended the Public Examinations Act, strengthened penalties for paper leaks and introduced changes to the examination system.

Swarup further highlighted the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue, noting that more than five million young people participated in shaping national priorities and engaged directly with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

He argued that these initiatives demonstrated youth participation in India's democracy and criticised the Special Rapporteur for overlooking them. India called on Romero to apply greater rigour and fairness in her reporting.