NEW DELHI: Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on Thursday has canceled a meeting with senior members of congress after U.S lawmakers refused to exclude a congressman who has criticized the Indian Governments policies in occupied Kashmir.
The decision demonstrates India’s sensitivity over the Kashmir issue as Prime Minister Narendra Modi defends moving in troops, imposing curfews and cutting off the mobile phone and internet access in Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
READ MORE: Protests against controversial citizenship law continue in India
According to the report, US lawmakers had refused demands to exclude a congresswoman, who had criticized the Indian government’s actions and policies in the occupied valley, from the meeting.
EAM S Jaishankar on reports that India cancelled meeting with US Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal over her report on Kashmir: Don't think it(report) is fair understanding of situation in J&K or fair characterization of what Govt of India is doing. I have no interest in meeting her. pic.twitter.com/EkWFZcR1nr
— ANI (@ANI) December 20, 2019
During his visit to Washington, the minister was slated to meet the House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Representative Elliot L Engel, the committee’s top Republican Rep Michael McCaul, and others, the report added.
Recently, a bipartisan resolution was moved in the US Congress, jointly by Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, a Democrat, and Congressman Steve Watkins, a Republican, urging India to end the restrictions on communications and mass detentions in occupied Kashmir as swiftly as possible and preserve religious freedom for all residents.
Civilian and military leadership on Thursday cautioned the world community about India’s aggressive and provocative design after New Delhi deployed missile launchers along the Line of Control in the Kashmir Valley.
Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said he had written to the United Nations recently, warning the world body of actions by New Delhi such as positioning missile launchers in the occupied valley.
READ ALSO: India today is glimpse of what IoK has been for months: Ashok Swain
In the letter, Qureshi says he fears India plans to launch an attack on Pakistan to divert international attention from human rights violations in occupied Kashmir.
China, earlier this week, during a closed-door meeting of the Security Council drew the attention of the members towards the letter written by the foreign minister expressing concern on the escalating situation at the LoC and asked for a brief from the UN military observers.
READ MORE: India diverts attention when trapped in domestic problems: FM
