India on Friday accused Pakistan and China of trying to “mislead” the world over Kashmir issue, saying the abolition of Article 370 that provided autonomy to Indian-held Kashmir in line with its constitution has no “external ramifications”, reported India Today.
Addressing a press conference at the UNSC, India’s permanent representative to United Nations Syed Akbaruddin said: “Our national position was and remains that matter related to Article 370 of the Indian Constitution is entirely an internal matter of India.”
“The chief secretary of J&K [occupied Kashmir] has announced that the union territories are moving towards normalcy. Internal changes are not changing the external orientation. We are committed to all the agreement we have signed on this issue,” India said.
Syed Akbaruddin also said that the Indian government’s decision was intended to promote “good governance and development in Jammu and Kashmir”.
“These have no external ramifications, the recent decisions taken by the govt of India and our legislative bodies are intended to ensure that good governance is promoted, social-economic development is enhanced for our people in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh,” he said.
Responding to reports in Pakistani media, India said that “China and Pakistan tried to pass their thought as the thought of the world community, adding the view of China was not a global opinion”.
“History knows that the last agreement we signed in 1972, we adhere to that, but Pakistan also needs to follow that. We can go back in history. Every new agreement overtakes the past. We have already extended our friendship according to the Shimla agreement and we are committed to that,” he claimed.
Before India’s statement, China addressed a press conference after the UNSC closed-door meeting on India’s decision on Kashmir and asserted that the situation in the occupied Kashmir is “serious and dangerous”.
