We are with India on Kashmir, says EU MEPs.

Members of European Parliament two-day visit to Kashmir.

After the historic decision taken by the Government of India, recently happened the first visit by a foreign delegation to the Kashmir valley. A group of 27 European lawmakers reached the valley on Tuesday. The Centre has issued a statement saying ‘the visit will give them a clear view of India’s development and governance priorities’. Though the delegation includes various people of position from different parts of the country, they are said to make the visit in personal capacities.

The delegation includes Giana Gancia and Fulvio Martusciello, from Italy, David Richard Bull from the

United Kingdom, Julie Lechanteux from France, Tomas Zdechovsky from the Czech Republic, Peter Pollak from Slovakia and Nicolas Fest from Germany’s. Zdechovsky from the Czech Republic told the press that the decision to abrogate Article 370 is an internal matter to India, Kashmir being a part of it. He clarified that it is the sole prerogative of the Indian Government to take internal decisions regarding Kashmir.

He said, “We are with India on this“. Zdechovsky also published an article in the monthly newspaper of the European Parliament last month, putting in comments which suggested that the decision to abrogate Article 370 will help in rooting out the various terrorist organisation and widespread terrorism in the Kashmir valley. He said that after publishing the said article, he had received many hate emails from Pakistan.

Before the two-day unofficial visit to Kashmir by the said members of the European Parliament [MEPs], they met Prime Minister Narendra Modi who said that the move is against those who are supporting and sponsoring terrorism in the Kashmir valley. He said that the visit will give the delegation a deeper insight into the understanding of the cultural and religious diversity of the Kashmir valley now divided into Jammu, Kashmir & Ladakh.

The MEPs were also briefed by the National Security Advisor, who range from nine different countries. The briefing was about the cross-border terrorism rising from Pakistan as well as constitutional changes made in the Jammu & Kashmir valley, after the revocation of Article 370 and the situation thereafter. However, this initiative was staunchly criticised by the opposition parties.

Congress party in opposition has attacked the BJP government saying that on one side it is allowing the visit of the MEPs to J & K and on the other, they are preventing Indian leaders from visiting their own land. They say that the Indian leaders not allowed to visit Kashmir is an insult to the democracy of India and ‘ultimate disrespect for the sovereignty’.

Criticism of the Government’s decision to invite MEPs to visit Kashmir: 

In this regard, the daughter of the former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti had tweeted saying

“Hope they get a chance to speak to the people, local media, doctors and civil society members. The iron curtain between Kashmir & the world needs to be lifted, and GOI must be held accountable for pushing J&K into turmoil.”, said Iltija Mufti. The move has not received support from many people in India. The outreach was also criticized the BJP MP Subramanyam Swamy participating in the war of tweets. He tweeted saying that he is surprised on the latest move of the Government.

He said that the Ministry of External Affairs [MEA] has arranged for a delegation of the MEA to visit, not as an EU delegation but in their personal capacity to visit the Kashmir area. He said that the action is ‘a perversion of our national policy’. He urged the Government to cancel this visit because it is ‘immoral.’

The move has also been reprimanded that the Government has hand-picked the MEP, who are all belonging to the far-right groups in their countries.

Moreover, this visit comes only weeks after the plenary debate on the situation in Kashmir held in the European Parliament. During the said debate, the High Representative or Vice President has expressed concern over the prevailing situation in the Kashmir post the abrogation.

“We remain concerned about the situation on the ground, with its restrictions on fundamental freedoms. It is crucial that freedom of movement and means of communication are fully restored as well as access to all essential services,” said Tytti Tuppurainen, Finnish Minister for European Affairs on behalf of High Representative/Vice-President Federica Mogherini on September 18.

As per the news, the delegation of the MEPs will be meeting the administration officials in Jammu and Kashmir apart from the locals in the valley. It is a two-day visit in which they are also likely to call the Governor and interact with media persons. Anand Sharma, the spokesperson for Congress, has said that he will raise the said issue in the parliament as the decision of the visit is ‘in violation of the collective privileges of Indian MPs.’

US Congressional Panel on Kashmir:

Last week the US Congressional panel had questioned the state department officials on the prevailing situation in Kashmir with lawmakers voicing distresses over the situation. Six lawmakers including David Cicilline, Dina Titus, Andy Levin, Susan Wild, Chrissy Houlahan, and James McGovern earlier had written a letter to Indian Ambassador to the U, Harsh Vardhan Shringla, saying that India is not portraying the real picture of the valley, it is different from the information gathered from their constituents.