New Delhi

Two days after former vice-president Hamid Ansari and four US lawmakers expressed over the human rights situation in the country, the external affairs ministry reacted strongly saying India does not require certification from others and attacked them for their "biases and political interests."

"India is a robust and vibrant democracy. It does not require certification," Arindam Bagchi, spokesperson in the Ministry of External Affairs told media persons at a briefing on Friday.

Ansari and four US lawmakers were among those who had expressed concerns about human rights in India during a panel discussion on ‘Protecting India’s pluralist Constitution’ which was organised by a coalition of 17 US-based rights organisations.

"We have seen reports on this event. India is a robust and vibrant democracy. It does not require certification from others. The claim that others need to protect our Constitution is presumptuous and preposterous. The track record of event organisers is as well known as the biases and political interests of the participants," Bagchi said.

The Indian American Muslim Council, Amnesty International (US), Genocide Watch, and Hindus for Human Rights were among the 17 organisers of the virtual event.

At the discussion, Ansari had said, “In recent years, we have experienced the emergence of trends and practices that dispute the well-established principle of civic nationalism and interpose a new and imaginary practice of cultural nationalism…. It wants to distinguish citizens on the basis of their faith, give vent to intolerance, insinuate otherness, and promote disquiet and insecurity.”

The four US Congressmen who spoke during the panel discussion were Ed Markey, Jim McGovern, Andy Levin, and Jamie Raskin.