Published 18:04 IST, October 14th 2019
British Indian Organisations slam Labour Party's resolution on Kashmir
Slamming the Labour's Party's reloution condemning India's move to abrogate Article 370, British Indian Community Organisations have written to Jeremy Corbyn
Slamming the Labour's Party's reloution condemning India's move to abrogate Article 370, British Indian Community Organisations, on Monday, have jointly written to Britain's Opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn expressing their dismay. In the letter signed jointly by various British Indian organisations, they have condemned Labour party's interference in Kashmir. They reminded the bilateral nature of the issue between India and Pakistan. They have stated they fear Kashmir becoming an internal issue in UK.
British Indian Orgs slam Labour on Kashmir
"The emergency motion passed at the recent Labour Party Conference is not acceptable to us as it seeks to interfere in the internal matters of and between, third countries and is drafted in one-sided and divisive manner," read the letter. It added, "the motion is ill-informed and partisan."
The letter has stated that while Brexit has already divided UK, this resolution may also fraught Britain's relations with India. It also stated while the organisation does not take political stance on issues, this issue warranted the need. It also said that the organisations are rethinking their engagement with the Labour party. It also praised the move done by India to remove an oppresive Article.
Here is the entire letter:
UK Opposition passes resolution against abrogation of Article 370
On September 25, the UK's opposition Labour Party passed an emergency motion on Kashmir calling for party leader Jeremy Corbyn to seek international observers to "enter" the region and demand the right of self-determination for its people. The rersolution calls for intervention by Corbyn to ensure someone from the party is represented to attend the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) on the issue. The resolution also calls for Corbyn to meet the high commissioners of both India and Pakistan to ensure there is "mediation" and restoration of peace and normality to prevent a potential nuclear conflict. While India maintains that the Kashmir issue is a bilateral one and no third party has any role in it, the British parliament too believes the same.
India condemns UK resolution on Kashmir
Following this move, Corbyn has accepted that the wording on the letter may be misconstrued as hostile towards India. The MEA has also condemned the resolution calling it an attempt at "pandering to vote-bank interests." While a Congress party delegation in UK has met with Corbyn, Congress itself has distanced itself from the meeting. Some leaders in the Labour Party itself have been calling for recalling the resolution. Major parties in India have condemned the resolution.
Updated 18:17 IST, October 14th 2019