Wednesday, March 2 2005 20:05 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Seeking to downplay US State Department's report on Human Rights which alleged abuses by security forces in Jammu and Kashmir and North-Eastern States, India today (March 2, 2005) said it was an "internal" exercise based on a requirement of US laws.

"We have seen the US Department of State annual report on human rights practices for 2004. The report is an exercise internal to the US based on a requirement of US laws," External Affairs Ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna told reporters in New Delhi.

"It is widely acknowledged internationally that India is a democratic and secular country where constitutional guarantee, rule of law, free press, independent judiciary and independent statutory bodies such as the National Human Rights Commission are part of the means available to the individual and the State to ensure human rights," he said.

The US report also said the Gujarat Government "failed" to arrest those responsible for post-Godhra riots.

It voiced concern over human trafficking saying it was a "significant" problem in India and claimed that the estimate of the number of Indians trafficked into forced labour and sex trade runs into millions.

"In J and K, torture victims or their relatives reportedly have difficulty filing complaints as local police allegedly were instructed not to open a case without permission from higher authorities," said the report.