In a statement likely to bring embarrassment for the Congress, the party’s leader in the Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, claimed Kashmir is not India’s internal matter since the UN has been monitoring the situation since 1948.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Adhir Ranjhan Chowdhury were engaged in a heated debate after the Congress leader asked the minister to clarify why the issue of Article 370 was not being considered a bilateral one.
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“You (government) say that it is an internal matter. But it is being monitored since 1948 by the UN. Is that an internal matter? We signed Shimla Agreement and Lahore Declaration. Was that an internal matter or bilateral?” he asked.
Further, Chowdhury said the “entire Congress party” wants to know the government response.
“S Jaishankar told Mike Pompeo a few days ago that Kashmir is a bilateral matter, so don’t interfere in it. Can J&K still be an internal matter? We want to know. Entire Congress party wants to be enlightened by you,” he said.
Hitting back at the opposition leader during the heated exchange, home minister Amit Shah said not only is Jammu and Kashmir an integral part of India, but also includes Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir.
“Jammu & Kashmir is an integral part of Union of India. Kashmir ki seema mein PoK bhi aata hai… Jaan de denge iske liye! (PoK comes under Kashmir, willing to die for it),” Shah said.
Clarifying the party’s official stand 24 hours after Home Minister Amit Shah’s bombshell announcement, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi termed the move “abuse of executive power”.
National integration isn’t furthered by unilaterally tearing apart J&K, imprisoning elected representatives and violating our Constitution. This nation is made by its people, not plots of land.
This abuse of executive power has grave implications for our national security.
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 6, 2019
“National integration isn’t furthered by unilaterally tearing apart J&K, imprisoning elected representatives and violating our Constitution. This nation is made by its people, not plots of land. This abuse of executive power has grave implications for our national security,” Gandhi tweeted.
The revoke of Article 370 means no special status to Jammu and Kashmir. And the state reorganisation bill will bifurcate Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories.