EU Parliamentarians to Visit Jammu & Kashmir For First Time After Abrogation of Article 370; Opposition Questions Narendra Modi Government's Decision
A day before a 28-member European Union delegation is scheduled to visit Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday, the opposition parties slammed the Narendra Modi government about the timings of the visit. The EU MPs will be visiting the Valley for the first time after the Centre abrogated Article 370 in the state.
New Delhi, October 28: A day before a 28-member European Union delegation is scheduled to visit Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday, the opposition parties slammed the Narendra Modi government about the timings of the visit. The EU MPs will be visiting the Valley for the first time after the Centre abrogated Article 370 in the state. Attacking the government, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi questioned the Centre for allowing the EU parliamentarians to visit the Kashmir Valley and not allowing the Indian MPs.
Gandhi Tweeted, “MPs from Europe are welcome to go on a guided tour of Jammu & #Kashmir while Indian MPs are banned & denied entry. There is something very wrong with that.” Similarly, People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Chief Mehbooba Mufti questioned the Central government about the timings of the visit of the EU delegation.
Rahul Gandhi's Tweet:
Taking a jibe at the Modi government, Mufti said that there is no coincidence that the EU MPs visit is coinciding with board exams for over 60,000 students in Kashmir. She tweeted, “No coincidence that EU MPs trip tomorrow coincides with board exams for over 60,000 students in Kashmir. They have no choice but to appear for the exam tomorrow just to lend credence to ‘all is normal’ acrobatics.” Mehbooba Mufti on Visit of European Parliament Delegation to Jammu and Kashmir, Says 'Lose-Lose Situation' For Govt'.
Mehbooba Mufti's Tweet:
Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Subramanian Swamy also slammed the Centre for allowing a European parliamentary panel to visit Kashmir on October 28. He termed the decision, "a perversion of national policy." In a tweet, Swamy said, “I am surprised that the MEA has arranged for European Union MPs, in their private capacity [Not EU's official delegation], to visit Kashmir area of J&K. This is a perversion of our national policy. I urge the Government cancel this visit because it is immoral.”Congress leader Anand Sharma also termed the Central government's decision against the sovereignty of the nation.
Subramaniam Swamy's Tweet:
Earlier in the day, the delegation which is on an official visit to India, met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval. According to reports, the delegation also discussed the situation in Jammu and Kashmir. During the meeting, the Indian leadership agreed to grant a permit to the EU delegation to visit the Valley Tuesday. A statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office said PM Modi is hopeful that the visit would provide the European Union of a detailed understanding of the Kashmir region.
Before the visit, Doval on Monday also briefed the 28-member European parliamentary panel on Jammu and Kashmir. During his interaction, he countered the false propaganda run by Pakistan about the alleged human rights violation in the Valley. The EU MPs visit comes days after Pakistan Army facilitated the visit of several High Commissioners and international reporters to Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) to probe the rights' violation charges.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 29, 2019 12:14 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).