Delegation of MEPs visiting Indian Occupied Kashmir is not ‘Official’: European Parliament

MONITORING DESK: The Indian plan of portraying everything normal in the Occupied Jammu and Kashmir has badly been thwarted as the European Parliament has declined to accept the visit of a European delegation to the besieged valley as “Official”.

Today a 27-member delegation of European Parliament visited Srinagar – the Capital of the Indian Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IOJ&K) – to assess the ground situation in the valley.

However Theresa Griffin, a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for the North West England, has categorically stated that “The group of far-right MEPs currently visiting Kashmir are not in any way an “official” delegation”.

In her twitter statement, Theresa Griffin said that the members of the delegation do not speak for the European Parliament.

The Labour Party MEP also demanded an end to the shutdown in Kashmir and the restoration of Constitutional rule of law.

To be absolutely clear – the group of far-right MEPs currently visiting #Kashmir are not in any way an “official” delegation. They do not speak for the European Parliament. The shutdown in Kashmir must be ended and constitutional rule of law restored. https://t.co/e6bVILYm8a

— Theresa Griffin MEP (@TheresaMEP) October 29, 2019

The visiting far-right MEPs belonged to Italy, Czech Republic, France, Spain, United Kingdom, Poland, Belgium, Germany and Slovakia.

Apart from them, the invitation to visit IOJ&K was also offered to Chris Davies, another Member of the European Parliament from the UK. However later his invitation was withdrawn after Chris Davies insisted on moving around in the valley freely and talking to the local dwellers.

The Indian move to escort the likeminded European Parliamentarians to Occupied Kashmir aiming at to pretend normalcy in the valley was planned when matriculation examinations are being held in IOJ&K.

Earlier on Monday, Iltija Mufti, the daughter of former Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, also took to twitter and wrote “If 28 European Parliament members are allowed to take stock of situation in Kashmir, wonder why the same courtesy can’t be extended to American senators. Won’t be surprised if GOIs (Government of India) indulging in normalcy acrobatics again & orchestrating ‘normalcy’ certificates.”

The Congress leader Rahul Gandhi strongly criticized the Indian government’s move to allow the EU delegation to visit the Occupied Kashmir. He said that MPs from Europe are welcomed to go on a guided tour to the territory while Indian Parliamentarians are banned and denied entry.

Jairam Ramesh, another Congress leader, said that the move is an insult to India’s Parliament and democracy.

Meanwhile, Kashmiris held violent demonstrations when pro-India MEPs reached Srinagar.

The roads wore a deserted look and markets remained shut. The 86-day long curfew has already caused the scarcity of food and medicines in the valley.

Below is the list of the European Parliament delegation which visited IOJ&K;

Italy

Gianna Gancia
(League, right-wing, anti-immigration)
Silvia Sardone
(right-wing, anti-immigration)
Guiseppe Ferrandino
(Democratic Party)
Fulvio Martusciello
(Forza Italia, centre-right)

Czech Republic

Tomas Zdechobsky
(Christian Democrats, conservative)

France

Thierry Mariani
(The Rebulicans, centre right)
Julie Lechanteux
(Rassemblement National, right wing)
Maxette Pirbakas
(National Rally, right wing)
Virginie Joron
(Rassemblement National, right wing)
France Jamet
(Rassemblement National, right wing)
Nicholas Bay
(Rassemblement National, right wing)

Spain

Hermann Tertsch
(Communist Party, European Conservatives and Reformists Group, Right wing)

Poland

Kosma Zlotowski
(Prawo i Sprawiedliwość, justice and law, centre right)
Bogdan Rzonca (
justice and law, centre right)
Elzbieta Rafalska
(justice and law, centre right)
Joana Kopcinska
(justice and law, centre right)
Grzegorz Tobiszowski
(justice and law, centre right)
Ryszard Czarnecki
(justice and law, centre right)

UK

Nathan Gill
(Brexit Party, right wing)
David Richard Bull
(Brexit Party, right wing)
Bill Newton Dunn
(Liberal democrats)
Alexandra Philips
(Brexit Party, right wing)
James Wells
(Brexit Party, right wing)

Belgium

Tom Vandendriessche
(Identity and Democracy Group, far-right political group in the European Parliament)

Germany

Bernhard Zimniok
(Alternative für Deutschland, right wing)
Lars Partick Berg
(Alternative für Deutschland, right wing)

Slovakia

Peter Pollak
(Christian Democrats, conservative)