How Both BJP And Congress Found Their Way Into Pakistan's Letter To UN Over Kashmir

The Congress and the BJP are up in arms after Pakistan , in a letter to the United Nations over Kashmir , mentioned statements by Congress’ Rahul Gandhi and Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar. 

Pakistan’s Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari tweeted the letter, quoting Khattar as saying on 10 August: “some people are now saying that as Kashmir is open, brides will be brought from there. But jokes apart, if [the gender] ratio is improved, then there will be a right balance in society”.

Under the section ‘gender-based violence as a weapon of war’, the letter also mentions a statement by BJP MLA Vikram Saini: “Muslim party workers should rejoice in the new provisions. They can now marry the white-skinned women of Kashmir”.

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The letter further states that the “acts of violence” have been acknowledged by Gandhi. The Congress leader, the letter adds, “noted ‘people dying in Jammu and Kashmir’, in light of events ‘going very wrong there’”.   

Pakistan, according to PTI, used Gandhi’s 10 August comments that “there are reports of violence, there are reports of people dying in Jammu and Kashmir”.

On Wednesday, Gandhi sought to clarify by saying that he disagreed with the BJP-led government on many issues but asserted that Kashmir is India’s internal issue, and violence there was “instigated and supported” by Pakistan.

BJP attacks Congress

After Pakistan mentioned Gandhi’s comments, the BJP said he has “insulted and shamed” the country by giving Islamabad a “handle” to target it. 

Union minister Prakash Javadekar held a press conference where he demanded an apology from Gandhi and called it the “most irresponsible politics” the country has witnessed. 

“Nobody spoke such a language in India... It gave Pakistan a handle. The Congress has shown India in a bad light. His comments have shamed and insulted India,” he was quoted as saying by PTI.

Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala, meanwhile, slammed Pakistan for “mischievously” dragging Gandhi’s name in its petition to the UN to justify its “lies and misinformation” on Jammu and Kashmir.

Surjewala also accused Javadekar of trying to politicise a stand unitedly taken “for India, by Indians and in favour of the entire country in front of the world community”.

“It is tragic that Prakash Javadekar is twisting a statement made by Rahul Gandhi, which reflects that the Indian National Congress and all other parties are united. We are in unison to take on the fake, false propaganda of Pakistan vis-a-vis the state of J&K,” Surjewala was quoted as saying by PTI.

(With PTI inputs)