The United Nations urged the Indian authorities to ensure that people wishing to protest peacefully were allowed to do so “without the fear of harassment”, as the demonstrations led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) in the National Capital drew international attention before concluding on Friday.Responding to a question at the UN Secretary-General’s daily press briefing while the protests were still under way, UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said the world body was closely following the developments in New Delhi.”We’re obviously very much aware of the protests that we’ve seen in New Delhi. It is important that people wishing to protest peacefully be allowed to do so without the fear of harassment, the fear of arrest, or the fear of injury. And it is incumbent on security forces, there as it is everywhere, to ensure that those rights are protected,” Dujarric said.The remarks came days after the July 20 “Sansad Chalo” march by thousands of students and youth activists witnessed clashes with police near Parliament.The cops used tear gas, batons and barricades to stop demonstrators attempting to march towards Parliament, with both protesters and police personnel sustaining injuries. Protesters alleged excessive use of force, while Delhi Police maintained that the crowd had turned “unruly, aggressive and violent” after violating prohibitory orders.The protests, which began over alleged leaks in competitive entrance examinations and demands for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, had expanded into a broader youth-led movement seeking accountability and reforms in the education system.The UN’s comments add to growing international attention on the handling of the protests. Earlier this week, Human Rights Watch urged the Indian authorities to investigate allegations of excessive use of force by security personnel during the July 20 crackdown and to safeguard the right to peaceful assembly.