One year has passed since the decision to abrogate the Articles 370 and 35A from Jammu & Kashmir was taken by the Indian Parliament in the larger interest to protect the unity, integrity safety and sovereignty of the country, but the rogue country in the neighbourhood Pakistan, China and even Turkey are not refraining themselves from raking the K-factor at every possible platform
New Delhi: One year has passed since the decision to abrogate the Articles 370 and 35A from Jammu & Kashmir was taken by the Indian Parliament in the larger interest to protect the unity, integrity safety and sovereignty of the country, but the rogue country in the neighbourhood Pakistan, China and even Turkey are not refraining themselves from raking the K-factor at every possible platform. Pakistan even went a step further seeking to step up acrimony or bitterness with India by ‘‘unveiling a new political map’’ of the country. Miffed India, now finding it hard to bear anymore and feeling ‘‘enough is enough’’, has not only ripped their ‘‘infructuous attempts’’ apart, but also sent them a stern message not to comment or interfere in its internal matters.
After the statements made by Turkey and Chinese MFA spokesperson, China also attempted to initiate a discussion in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on issues pertaining to the Indian Union territories of Jammu and Kashmir. Even two influential US Congressmen - Eliot Engel, the Democrat Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Michael T McCaul, Republican Ranking Member of the panel, according to media reports, have written to Indian external affairs minister S Jaishankar to acknowledge the “serious security and counter terrorism concerns” in the region.
Taking strong exception to the statements of these countries, ministry of external affairs official spokesperson Anurag Srivastava has said that there have been “several positive changes” in Jammu and Kashmir over the past year including ensuring good governance and socio economic development, and justice to disadvantaged sections. Elections had been held for block development councils, schools had been reopened, new healthcare facilities were coming up, and infrastructure development had taken place. So all this certainly reflects a return to complete normalcy, he added.
On statement by Turkey on Jammu and Kashmir, Srivastava said that it is factually incorrect, biased and unwarranted. He urged Turkey government to get a proper understanding of ground situation and refrain from interfering in matters internal to India.
About China he said, ‘‘We have noted that China attempted to initiate a discussion in the UN Security Council on issues pertaining to J&K. This was not the first time that China has sought to raise a subject that is solely an internal matter of India. As on such previous occasions, this attempt too met with little support from the international community. We firmly reject China’s interference in our internal affairs and urge it to draw proper conclusions from such infructuous attempts. The Chinese side has no locus standi whatsoever on this matter and is advised not to comment on the internal affairs of other nations.’’
Snubbing Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan’s ‘‘political absurdity’’ for releasing a new map of Pakistan , Srivastava, in a strongly worded statement, has decimated it saying ‘‘this is an exercise in political absurdity, laying untenable claims to territories in the India state of Gujarat and our union territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. These ridiculous assertions have neither legal validity nor international credibility. In fact, this new effort only confirms reality of Pakistan’s obsession with territorial aggrandizement supported by cross-border terrorism.’’
Meanwhile, the Vice President of India, M Venkaiah Naidu has advised other nations, including those in the neighbourhood, to refrain from commenting on India’s internal matters and asserted that the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir was taken in the larger interest to protect the unity, integrity, safety and sovereignty of the country. He also pointed out that India was a parliamentary democracy and the decision to abrogate Article 370 was taken after detailed discussion in the Parliament and with the support of majority of the members. Naidu wanted other nations to mind their own issues rather than interfering in the affairs of other countries.
Read Exclusive COVID-19 Coronavirus News updates, at MyNation.