Indian mission in London invites UK MPs to get authentic information as minorities, Kashmir raised in Parliament

The Westminister hall of the UK house of commons saw discussion by MP on the situation of minorities and Jammu and Kashmir.

New Delhi: The Indian High Commission in the United Kingdom on Thursday invited "Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom to consult with the High Commission anytime" on all "India-related issues of interest to them in order to have up-to-date, authentic and factual information about India". In two consecutive statements, the Indian High Commission asked the UK Parliamentarian to discuss issues based on "authentic information". It includes issues that "may be of concern to them or their constituents".

The statements by the Indian mission came after the Westminister hall of the UK house of commons saw discussion by MP on the situation of minorities and on the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.  In the statement issued after a discussion on the situation of minorities, the Indian mission said that it has "made available fact sheets and briefs...to enable them to disregard any misinformation or incomplete or false portrayal of the ground realities".

When it comes to discussion on Kashmir, the Indian mission pointed out a number of initiatives by the Indian government for the union territory including the recently held district-level elections that saw "impressive turnout of men and women alike--over 50%". The mission said, "This is a strong endorsement of the GOI initiatives by the people of Jammu and Kashmir, who are now participants and direct beneficiaries in the vibrant democratic mainstream of India."

It also raised the issue of cross border terrorism from Pakistan highlighting the "atrocities being committed daily in the part of Kashmir that is illegally occupied by this third country...which is recognized as a global epicentre of terrorism" and a "perpetrator of state-sponsored cross-border terrorism for over 70 years in Jammu and Kashmir - and the rest of India".

Interestingly, the government during the discussion defended India's record with Nigel Adams, Minister for Asia at UK foreign office lauding its diversity.