Speaking on Wednesday, Rubio said the United States would not comment on India’s domestic political affairs. He noted that public demonstrations and differences of opinion were part of democratic discourse, while distinguishing peaceful protests from violent unrest.
His remarks came after more than 20 UN human rights experts called for an independent investigation into allegations of excessive force, arbitrary detentions and restrictions on public assemblies during the demonstrations.
The protests were organised by opposition parties and student groups demanding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Protesters have raised concerns about voter deletions and alleged irregularities.
India has rejected international criticism, calling it interference in its internal affairs. Indian diplomat Barkha Tamrakar also cautioned against using human rights concerns for political pressure or targeting countries based on unverified allegations.
The Election Commission has defended the SIR exercise, stating that it aims to remove duplicate entries and the names of deceased, shifted and ineligible voters, while providing an appeal mechanism for affected individuals.