UK MP meets members of Jammu and Kashmir diaspora to mark its accession to India

INTERNATIONAL DESK: UK Conservative MP Theresa Anne Villiers met members of the Jammu and Kashmir diaspora in the British House of Commons to mark the anniversary of Jammu and Kashmir’s accession to India.

Villiers said she raised concerns, this week, regarding human rights abuses committed against Hindus and other minority communities in Pakistan.

The members of the Jammu and Kashmir diaspora, who participated in the meeting with Theresa Anne Villiers, included Ajatshatru Singh, Ritu Singh and Sushil Pandit. Villiers noted that it has been 76 years since the accession of Jammu and Kashmir to India.

In a post on Facebook, Theresa Anne Villiers stated, “It is exactly 76 years since the accession of the state of Jammu & Kashmir to India on 26th Oct 1947. I met members of the Jammu & Kashmir diaspora in Parliament last night at an event to mark this important anniversary.”

“The special guests for the evening included Maharaja Ajatshatru Singh and Ritu Singh from the royal family that formerly ruled Jammu & Kashmir. Another of the distinguished panel of speakers was Sushil Pandit who highlighted the plight of Hindu Kashmiri Pandit community, many of whom who were forced out of their homes in the Kashmir Valley in 1990. This side of the Kashmir question does not get sufficient attention in Parliament. I hope to try to remedy that. This week in Parliament I also raised concerns about human rights abuses committed against Hindus and other minority communities in Pakistan,” she noted in the post.

The House of Commons celebrated Jammu and Kashmir Day on the eve of the 76th anniversary of the Accession of the then princely state to India on October 26, 1947.

The programme, organised by the Jammu Kashmir diaspora based in the UK, was hosted by Rt Hon Bob Blackman, MP Harrow East. The special guests for the evening included, among others, Ajatshatru Singh and Ritu Singh from the erstwhile royal family of Jammu and Kashmir.

Among the other keynote speakers were Gautam Sen, Sushil Pandit and Mr Sajjad Raja, NEP Party representing Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK).

The proceedings were inaugurated by UK MP Jonathan Lord, who welcomed the royals from Jammu and Kashmir and other guests and audience. Gautam Sen spoke about the plight of Kashmiri Pandits and the lack of political will to support their rehabilitation and he attributed this to the vote bank politics highlighting that the Pandit community, being small in number, does not have a political voice.

Sajjad Raja spoke about the atrocities on Hindus and Sikhs during the partition and strongly argued that Pakistan was not a party to the Jammu & Kashmir issue, as they were the aggressors who invaded and forcibly occupied PoK in 1947.

Ajatshatru Singh spoke about the Dogra dynasty and their contribution to the establishment and expansion of Jammu & Kashmir. He also underlined then Maharaja, Hari Singh’s role in signing the instrument of accession with India.

Theresa spoke about the importance of Jammu Kashmir Day and also highlighted the significant progress made by the region since the revocation of Article 370.

Sushil Pandit raised the injustice being done to the Kashmiri Pandit community and also highlighted the apathy of the establishment in fulfilling the aspirations of the community.

Bob Blackman brought with him a signed copy of the Instrument of Accession and highlighted the contribution of the diaspora community in celebrating the day year after year in the House of Commons. He urged Pakistan to stop state-sponsored terrorism in the region so there is lasting peace and progress in the region.

Ritu Singh spoke about the erstwhile Royal Family’s contribution to Jammu and Kashmir. She also talked about a number of social and cultural initiatives in the region specifically aimed at woman empowerment, skills development and preservation of craft and culture. (ANI)