Kashmir is an internal matter: India at the UN Security Council meeting

NEW DELHI, Aug 17, 2019, India Today. India on Friday defended its decision to scrap provisions of Article 370 that have special status to Jammu and Kashmir, saying that it was an internal matter. India also snubbed Pakistan for interfering in the internal matters of the country, saying that Pakistan was misleading the world, reported the India Today.

India’s statement came after China expressed “grave concern” over the situation in Kashmir at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) meeting, saying that it was “serious and dangerous”.

Addressing a press conference at the UNSC, India’s permanent representative to United Nations, Syed Akbaruddin said that Article 370 has “no external ramifications”. “Our national position was and remains that matter related to Article 370 of the Indian Constitution is entirely an internal matter of India,” Syed Akbaruddin said.

“The chief secretary of J&K has announced that the union territories are moving towards normalcy. Internal changes are not changing the external orientation. We are committed to all the agreement we have signed on this issue,” India said.

Syed Akbaruddin also said that the Indian government’s decision was intended to promote good governance and development in Jammu and Kashmir. “India remains committed to ensure that the situation in J&K remains calm and peaceful,” he said.

“These have no external ramifications, the recent decisions taken by the Govt of India and our legislative bodies are intended to ensure that good governance is promoted, social-economic development is enhanced for our people in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh,” he said.

STOP TERROR TO START TALKS: INDIA TELLS PAKISTAN

Slamming Pakistan for interfering in the internal matters of India, Syed Akbaruddin said, “I have been a member of many delegations to Islamabad. There are normal ways of dealing but no democracy will acknowledge if you use terror to push your goals. Stop terror to start talks.”

“We note that there were some who tried to project an alarmist approach to the situation which is far from the ground realities. Of particular concern is that one state is using the terminology of ‘jihad’ against and promoting violence in India including by their leaders,” India said.

India also said that Pakistan has been trying to mislead the world.

CHINA’S VIEW NOT GLOBAL OPINION: INDIA

Addressing a press conference after the UNSC meet concluded, India said that China and Pakistan tried to pass their thought as the thought of the world community. India also said that the view of China is not a global opinion.

“History knows that the last agreement we signed in 1972, we adhere to that, but Pakistan also needs to follow that. We can go back in history. Every new agreement overtakes the past. We have already extended our friendship according to the Shimla agreement and we are committed to that,” he said.

Before India’s statement, China addressed a press conference after the UNSC closed-door meeting on India’s decision on Kashmir and asserted that the situation in J&K is “serious and dangerous”.

The Chinese diplomat at UNSC said that such unilateral practices [as were carried out by the Indian government] were “invalid”. China also said that India has “violated the bilateral agreement to keep peace in the border areas” by the constitutional amendment.

“The situation is already very tense and dangerous right now there [in Kashmir]. India has violated bilateral agreement to keep peace in the border areas. It is obvious the constitutional amendment by India has changed the status quo by India,” the Chinese envoy said.

Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Maleeha Lodhi welcomed the meeting at the UNSC on the issue of Kashmir and said the country was “grateful to China for calling this meeting”. Maleeha Lodhi also said that the “voice of Kashmiri people was heard today”.

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