Hinting Pakistan’s stance, Congress hits a self-goal of embarrassment by asking ‘how was Kashmir issue is an “internal matter’

News Bharati    06-Aug-2019
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New Delhi, August 6: Slating a perfect example of ‘खुद के पैर पे कुल्हाड़ी मारना’ Congress on Tuesday scored a self-goal creating a huge embarrassment for itself in Lok Sabha. Interestingly, Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury threw a shocker as he questioned India's long-established position, asking how was Kashmir issue is an “internal matter" if "United Nations is monitoring it since 1948.”

Speaking in Lok Sabha, Chowdhury said, “You say that it is an internal matter, but it is being monitored since 1948 by the UN, is that an internal matter? We signed the Shimla Agreement and Lahore Declaration, was that an internal matter or bilateral?” Sharpening his party's attack against the Centre over the scrapping of Article 370, he said, “S Jaishankar told Mike Pompeo a few days before that Kashmir is a bilateral matter, so don't interfere in it. Can Jammu and Kashmir still be an internal matter? We want to know. Entire Congress party wants to be enlightened by you.”

 

Chowdhury also stated that the central government is not “thinking about PoK (Pakistan occupied Kashmir).” Lashing out hard, Amit Shah in a sharp attack said, “Whenever I talk about Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Aksai Chin comes under it and we can lay down our lives for it.”

Embarrassing itself the Congress leader's remark not only opposes New Delhi's decade-old stand on Kashmir but is also in stark contrast to the country's views on U.N. Military Observers Group on India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) - a group of UN military observers deputed in 1949 to supervise the ceasefire between India and Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir. India has opposed UNMOGIP's operations especially after the Shimla Agreement of 1972 that says the Kashmir issue is to be resolved bilaterally between India and Pakistan. Islamabad, however, has frequently called for third-party involvement in the matter.

Also, this statement by Congress also hints on Pakistan’s reaction on the Jammu and Kashmir issue as it stated on Monday that India has violated the UNSC resolution. This clearly shows that Congress is however taking Pakistan’s side on the Kashmir issue.

The debate was initiated after Shah moved the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill 2019, The Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Second Amendment) Bill 2019 and the resolution revoking Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir in the Lok Sabha.

A resolution removing the special status of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 was approved by the Rajya Sabha on Monday. The Jammu and Kashmir (Reorganisation) Bill, 2019, which strips Jammu and Kashmir's status of a state and converts it into a Union Territory with legislature and carving out Ladakh region as a UT without legislature, was passed in a division pressed by the opposition with 125 votes in favour and 61 against.