Global Watch

EU parliamentarians Say Article 370 Is India’s Internal Issue amidst Opposition Slamming Govt For Denial Of Permission To Indian MPs For Visiting J & K

The delegation of Parliamentarians from European Union said   Article 370 is India’s internal issue adding India is engaged in fighting global terrorism. After visiting the Kashmir valley post abrogation of Jammu & Kashmir’s Special status, they spoke to media at Srinagar on Wednesday, October 30. The   group comprised 27 MPs. Four of them have returned homes. At the press meet, they condemned the killing of five labourers from West Bengal by terrorists on Tuesday.”If we talk about Article 370 it is India’s internal matter. What concerns us is terrorism which is a global menace and we should stand with India in fighting it. There was an unfortunate incident of killing of five innocent labourers by terrorists. We condemn it,” said Henri Malosse from France. The delegation was briefed by the army and police as well as young activists and exchanged “ideas of peace”. Newton Dunn from the UK described the visit, aimed at getting a first-hand assessment of the situation after the revocation of the state’s special status under Article 370, as an “eye-opener”. We belong to a place Europe which is peaceful after years of fighting. And we want to see India becoming the most peaceful country in the world. And for that we need to stand by India in its fight against global terrorism. This visit has been an eye opener and we would definitely advocate what we have seen on ground zero.” The delegation is the first high-level foreign visit to Kashmir after the August 5 decision of the Centre to revoke the state’s special status and bifurcate it into two union territories, Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. Wednesday is the last day of Jammu and Kashmir as a state. MEP from Poland Ryszard Czarnecki said “The international media coverage about J & K seems biased”.”Once we go back to our countries we will inform them of what we saw,” he said.Thierry Mariani, also from France said had been to India many times and this visit was not to interfere in the internal matter of India but to get a firsthand knowledge of the ground situation in Kashmir.”Terrorists can destroy a country. I have been to Afghanistan and Syria and I have seen what terrorism has done. We stand with India in its fight against terrorism,” he said.”By calling us fascists, our image has been tarnished. It’s better that one should know about us properly before tarnishing our image,” he added, referring to some media reports. The team originally comprised 27 Parliamentarians, many from extreme right or right wing parties, but four did not travel to Kashmir and have reportedly returned to their respective countries, officials said without divulging any reason.Befoe arriving in the  Kashmir Valley, the MPs met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi. While welcoming the MPs to India, he “expressed the hope that they have a fruitful visit to various parts of the country, including to Jammu and Kashmir “, add agencies. Opposition parties are critical of the government for inviting the EU parliamentarians denying Indian leaders an opportunity to make assessment of the situation in the border state. They claim normalcy is yet to be restored there following   withdrawal of the special status and  converting Jammu & Kashmir into two Union Territories from October 31,2019. While J & K will have a legislative assembly Ladakh will have no legislative assembly. Calling it a “conducted tour”, Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad Tuesday said he does not have any objection to the European Union leaders’ delegation visiting Jammu and Kashmir. “What I object to, is that the MPs of this country are not being allowed to go to Jammu and Kashmir.”pic courtesy : ANI (edited by PK Chakravarty)

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