The United Kingdom government has told
India that it cannot ban the planned ‘Kashmir Million March’ in London
'as it will be against the principles of free speech espoused by
Britain', a news report said on Friday.
Details have emerged that Sushma Swaraj, External Affairs Minister
(EAM) of India, met British Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg last week
here and raised concerns with him about the march, which will be led by
former Pakistan-administered Kashmir prime minister Barrister Sultan
Mahmood Chaudhary and other Kashmiri leaders.
The British PM was told that the issue of Indian-controlled Kashmir
was a “matter between India and Islamabad and such a rally would be
against an open society”. Swaraj told Clegg that the ‘Kashmir Million
March’ doesn’t “bode well for the relationship between the two
countries” but the deputy PM told her that the march cannot be stopped,
The News International said.
Clegg told the Indian minister that he appreciated her concerns but
the rally in London will not be banned as it will be against the
principles of free speech espoused by Britain, the report said.
He told the Indian minister that Britain greatly valued its relations
with India but will not go against a democratic march which is expected
to bring thousands of Kashmiris to the streets of London on Sunday.
India is taking this march so seriously that Prime Minister David
Cameron was also asked about the ‘Kashmir Million March’ during an
interview with a leading Indian channel but the PM refused to be drawn
into the controversy. Cameron, however, said that Indo-Pak ties were a
“bilateral issue” and the UK “wanted to see good relations between India
and Pakistan”. The PM said that the UK didn’t want to see “any
incursions across the Line of Control” and “its important that India and
Pakistan have those coversations”. But Syed Akbaruddin, the
spokesperson of Indian Ministry of External Affairs, said that it’s
“normal for open societies to have platforms where people express their
opinions”.
He went on: “However, at times these
platforms are misused by enemies of open societies and its for those
open societies to ensure that nothing is done which is inimical to their
interests.”
The Indian irritation with the march was further evident when
occupied Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said that the “Million
March” should have been held in the valley rather than the “cozy
capitals of the United States and United Kingdom”.
“I have no problem in these people propounding an ideology but it
would be better doing it from here rather than cozy environs of London,
Washington, Paris and places like that,” Omar told reporters.
The Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) has also objected to the “Kashmir
Million March” which coincides with the day when the then ruler of
erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir Maharaja Hari Singh signed the
Instrument of Accession of the state with India against the wishes of
the Kashmiri people.
BJP Kashmiri spokespersons Sunil Sethi and Balbir Ram Rattan said
that those organsing the march in London were “anti nationals and
divisive forces”.
Barrister Sultan Mahmood said that India doesn’t need to panic over
the march and should show grace by not trying to arm-twist the UK
government. “This march is independent and being organised by the
Kashmiris who want to expose the barbaric face of India before the
western world. Thousands had marched against Israel in London over the
Gaza bombings. More than 120,000 Kashmiris have been massacred by India
and India has acted worse than Israel but its crimes have not been
exposed before the civilised world. This cannot go on. India must be
held accountable.”
Veteran Kashmiri campaigner Hameed Pothi said that the UK government
was aware that British Kashmiris are pro-democracy and peace-loving
people who have taken part in the UK politics actively. “The UK govt is
very much aware of the role of British Kashmiris and will never bow
before the Indian pressure. India thinks that it can use its economic
clout to suppress its dark deeds but that policy has failed and we will
not rest until India is fully exposed.”
http://www.kashmirdispatch.com
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