Staff reporter / New Delhi
Several Opposition parties have slammed Government decision to allow European Union delegation to visit Jammu and Kashmir. They said that it was an ‘insult to India’s Parliament and democracy’.
The Congress questioned the decision saying while government preventing Indian leaders from going to the state, and claimed that it was an insult to India’s Parliament and democracy.
Senior party leader Jairam Ramesh asked as to why the “chest-beating champion of nationalism”, in an apparent swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has allowed European leaders to visit Jammu and Kashmir.
“When Indian political leaders have been prevented from meeting the people of J&K, what possessed the great chest-beating champion of nationalism to allow European politicians to visit J&K. This is an outright insult to India’s own Parliament and our democracy,” he tweeted.
A delegation of 25 Parliamentarians of the European Union is set to visit Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday to assess the ground situation thereafter abrogation of Article 370. They seek to talk to locals in Jammu and Kashmir and ask them about their experience.
Congress spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill also questioned the government’s move.
“If EU delegation visit to Kashmir can be facilitated by #BJP Govt then why can’t Indian Leaders belonging to Opposition Parties visit #Kashmir ? Indians have to knock door of Supreme Court to visit Kashmir & EU delegation is welcomed by PMO, Why no level playing field?” he asked on Twitter.
CPM Criticise Govt
“This unofficial group is overwhelmingly from ultra-right wing pro-fascist parties having relations with BJP. This explains why our MPs aren’t allowed but Modi welcomes them. 3 ex-CMs and 1000s others are jailed & this group of MEPs is preferred over Indian political parties?” asks Sitaram Yachuri, the general secretary of CPIM
he said that why were Indian political party leaders and MPs repeatedly prevented from exiting Srinagar airport?
I was allowed to enter Srinagar only when the Supreme Court permitted over my habeous corpus petition. Even today Indian MPs are not allowed while Modi welcomes MEPs!
It is reported that barring three, all MPs of EU delegation to Kashmir belong to the far-right parties of their countries. All 6 French MPs are from Le Pen’s National Front, all 6 Polish MPs are from ruling far-right party, 4 British MPs are from Brexit Party.
Swamy demands cancellation of the visit
Meanwhile, BJP’s Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy on Monday slammed the decision to allow a delegation of Members of European Union Parliament to visit Kashmir and demanded its cancellation.
Swamy described the move as a “perversion” of the country’s policy. “I am surprised that the MEA (Ministry of External Affairs) has arranged for European Union MPs, in their private capacity (not EU’s official delegation), to visit Kashmir. This is a perversion of our national policy. I urge the government to cancel this visit because it’s immoral,” Swamy tweeted.