LONDON: Labour delegates unanimously passed a controversial motion on Kashmir at their party conference in Brighton, leading to India’s UK mission cancelling a dinner with Labour Friends of India. The motion says Kashmir should be given the right of self-determination as per UN resolutions and urges Labour to stand with Kashmiris “fighting against occupation”.
MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said, “We regret these uninformed and unfounded positions… Clearly, it’s an attempt at pandering to vote-bank interests. There is no question of engaging with the Labour Party or its representatives on this issue.”
The Indian high commission India in London cancelled its annual reception with Labour Friends of India on Tuesday night immediately after the debate on the motion began. “We cancelled it. The reason was because of the motion,” a senior Indian diplomat told TOI. The motion also sparked anger among the British Indian diaspora with Overseas Friends of BJP (OFBJP) UK president Kuldeep Singh Shekhawat, saying “the entire Indian diaspora in Britain will not support Labour in the next general election because of this motion”.
There has been growing dismay amongst PIOs ever since Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn’s August 11 tweet that said “the situation in Kashmir is deeply disturbing. Human rights abuses taking place are unacceptable”, and since several Labour MPs supported and spoke at the August 15 protests outside India House which descended into violence. Reacting to the motion, Manoj Ladwa, former chair Labour’s Indian Community Engagement Forum, said the Labour party had been “hijacked by a coalition of left extremists and jihadi sympathisers”.
British Pakistani Uzma Rasool from Leyton, who submitted the motion, gave a speech in which she referred to POK as “Pakistan-administered Kashmir” and stated that Kashmir had seen “72 years of human rights violations, of gang rapes and mass rapes by armed forces, and pellet gun injuries”. “We must urgently request India opens access so humanitarian agencies can go in and provide help,” she said. “This is now a major crisis. We cannot allow a century of oppression to take place. For too long, we have said Kashmir is a bilateral issue but the Kashmiri people need intervention,” she had said.
NAOMI CANTON |Times of India
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This was predicted, the Pakistani have got and found weak point in the British politics by muscling in their vote bank to hapless Labour party. On wider scale every town halls and wards where the Muslims who support such motition and if they wield power those in minority will no doubt suffer at every juncture, whether school admissions or noise or religious practices not in keeping with civil societies. I urge all fellow Indian voters who were hurt to see our High Commision building and participants being damaged by the Kashmiri protesters to kick Labour where it belongs in any future elections. Labour party is not for peace loving Indians and in fact not Hindu friendly as they are too scared about their votes
Hindus should learn politics and become the members of Political parties in large numbers to have their voice. I have been saying this for more than 30 years but it did not go in Hindus brains. It is not the fault of Labour party . Labour delegates approved the motion because there must be many Muslim delegates. So once again I will repeat Join Labour party and have your Voice. I am a Labour party member and I see every day Labour party membership is increasing with large numbers of Muslim Voters.There is a election process , going on for Ilford South Member parliament seat and I am sure The only candidate will be selected who will be supported by Muslim Members.