‘False assertions’ in Commons Kashmir debate annoy India
BRITAIN WILL NOT PLAY MEDIATOR IN BILATERAL MATTER, REITERATES MINISTER
INDIA has expressed dismay at some British MPs who took part in a debate on Kashmir in London last week, saying they relied on “false assertions” and unsubstantiated allegations propagated by a “third country” – in an apparent reference to Pakistan. The debate was organised by backbench MPs at Westminster Hall in the House of Commons last Wednesday (13).
Its title – ‘Political situation in Kashmir’ – caused irritation in India House, with the High Commission calling it “problematic”.
“Regarding the reference to Kashmir in the title, the need is felt to differentiate between the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, which is an integral part of India, and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (when the erstwhile princely state of Kashmir legally acceded to India in October 1947, this part was forcibly and illegally occupied by Pakistan),” the High Commission said in a statement.
“It was also noted that references to the Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, despite the volumes of authentic information available in the public domain – based on up to date and visible facts on the ground – ignored (the) current ground reality and, instead chose to reflect false assertions of the kind promoted by a third country, such as unsubstantiated allegations of ‘genocide’, ‘rampant violence’ and ‘torture’.”
Responding to the debate on behalf of the UK government, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) minister Nigel Adams reiterated the official stance that it was not for Britain to play any mediatory role in a bilateral India-Pakistan matter.
However, he accepted there were human rights concerns on both sides of the Line of Control (LoC).
“The government’s policy [on Kashmir] remains stable, it’s unchanged. We continue to believe that this is for India and Pakistan to find a lasting political resolution to the situation that takes into account the wishes of the Kashmiri people… as laid out in the Shimla Agreement,” said Adams, the minister for Asia.
“It’s not appropriate for the UK government to prescribe a solution or act as a mediator in this regard, but it would be wrong to not acknowledge there are serious human rights concerns in both Indiaadministered and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. This has been confirmed by the UN high commissioner for human rights in his reports,” he said.
Adams also referred to the District Development Council (DDC) democratic elections held in the region in December last year. Labour Party MP Barry Gardiner pointed out that the poll attracted the free and fair participation of more than 50 per cent of the local electorate.
“The people of Kashmir deserve the opportunity to thrive and succeed, so more broadly we welcome the commitment that the Indian government has made to the economic and social development of India-administered Kashmir and we continue to seek further details of their plans,” added Adams.
The debate, organised by Labour’s Sarah Owen, saw the participation of crossparty British MPs, many of whose constituents are of Kashmiri origin.
They raised concerns of alleged human rights violations and called on the UK government to seek access to the region for direct reports from Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) to be presented in the UK parliament in future.
The Indian High Commission in London sought to highlight that since last year, a smart wi-fi project has enabled high-speed internet access in the region, and that despite threats of terror attacks, challenging weather conditions and the Covid-19 pandemic, landmark DDC elections were concluded in December 2020.
“Since the administrative reorganisation of Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019, it is well on the path of good governance and accelerated development. All administrative measures taken by the government of India in Jammu and Kashmir are entirely an internal matter of India,” the High Commission said.
“Regarding the reference to peace and stability of our region, it is reiterated that India stands ready to engage with Pakistan on all outstanding issues – including on Jammu and Kashmir in accordance with the Shimla Agreement (1972) and the Lahore Declaration (1999) in an atmosphere free from terror, hostility and violence,” the statement added.