UK's Labour Party takes U-turn, counters 'anti-India' stand on Kashmir

UK Labour Party Chairman Ian Lavery issued a letter to change their stand after it had passed a resolution backing international intervention in Kashmir. Contradicting Jeremy Corbyn's views over the Kashmir, the letter clarified that the party is opposed to external interference in the political affairs of another country.

In the letter, the Labour Party chairman said that he "recognises the language that was used in the emergency motion has caused offence in some sections of the Indian diaspora, and in India itself." 

He further stated that Kashmir is a bilateral issue between India and Pakistan. He said, "Kashmir is a bilateral matter for India and Pakistan to resolve together by means of a peaceful solution which protects the human rights of the Kashmiri people and respects their right to have a say in their own future."

Acknowledging the "sensitivities" that exist over the situation in Kashmir, the Labour candidate who has been a Member of Parliament for Wansbeck in north-east England since 2010 stressed that his party holds the Indian diaspora in the "highest regard".

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"We recognise that the language used in the emergency motion has caused offence in some sections of the Indian diaspora, and in India itself. We are adamant that the deeply felt and genuinely held differences on the issue of Kashmir must not be allowed to divide communities against each other here in the UK, his letter says. "The Labour Party will not adopt any anti-India or anti-Pakistan position over Kashmir," it adds.

The letter follows growing concerns around the party's motion in the wake of the Indian government's revocation of Article 370 to withdraw the special status of Jammu and Kashmir, something India has stressed is an internal political matter and not open to international intervention.

Respect British Indians, an umbrella group claiming to represent over 100 British Indian outfits set up on Twitter to lobby Labour Party Leader Jeremy Corbyn to withdraw the resolution, had drafted a "pledge" for every British politician contesting the December election to commit to revoking the "partisan and ill-informed" motion passed by the party at its conference in September.

The Indian diaspora, estimated to represent over 1 million votes in a UK election, was seen as being alienated by Labour since the motion was passed. The party's Indian-origin candidates have been urging voters not to be swayed over the Kashmir issue in the election next month.

"Kashmir is a matter for the people of Kashmir and all conflicts must be resolved within the law and Constitution of India, said Virendra Sharma, who is contesting again from Ealing Southall constituency from west London a seat he has held for the party since 2007. "I don't think we are made better off as a country by continuing the divisions of our homelands, instead we should focus on Britain today," he said.

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(With PTI inputs)