India gives stern response to China after it raises Kashmir issue at UNSC
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China got a stern reposnse from India after it raised the Kashmir issue at United Nations Security Council (UNSC).
India has given a stern response to China as it raked Kashmir not only at United Nations Security Council (UNSC) but also in its daily foreign ministry pressers. The Chinese action of August 5, Wednesday coincides with the first anniversary of the removal of special status for the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir by India.
Responding to China raising Kashmir in an informal meet at UNSC, Ministry of External Affairs said, “We have noted that China initiated a discussion in the UN Security Council on issues pertaining to the Indian Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir. This was not the first time that China has sought to raise a subject that is solely an internal matter of India.”
“As on such previous occasions, this attempt too met with little support from the international community. We firmly reject China’s interference in our internal affairs and urge it to draw proper conclusions from such infructuous attempts,” the ministry added.
China at the behest of Pakistan has in the past – August 2019 and January 2020 – raked Kashmir informally at the UNSC. Domestically, Pakistan has used these developments for propaganda purposes while not explaining that these meets are informal and without outcome.
Indian envoy to United Nations TS Tirumurti in a tweet explained “Another attempt by Pakistan fails! In today’s meeting of UN Security Council which was closed, informal, not recorded and without any outcome, almost all countries underlined that J&K was the bilateral issue & did not deserve time and attention of Council.”
China raised the matter under “Any Other Business” (AOB ) format, something which no one prevents from the discussion. It is notable that developments in Hong Kong were raised by the US and other members of UNSC in May in the same format, irking China. And even China, which is a permanent member of UNSC, couldn’t stop a discussion on it.
Moreover, Chinese and Pakistani actions looked coordinated on the first anniversary of the removal of special status. On Wednesday itself, the Chinese foreign ministry responding to a question from Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) on Kashmir called India removing special status as “illegal and invalid”.
The Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said, “China pays high degree of attention to the Kashmir issue. Any unilateral change to the status quo is illegal and invalid. This issue should be properly resolved peacefully through dialogue and consultations between the parties concerned.”
New Delhi, while taking a ‘note’ of Chinese comments, sharply reacted to it. The MEA said, “The Chinese side has no locus standi whatsoever on this matter and is advised not to comment on the internal affairs of other nations.”
The developments come amidst China’s growing aggressiveness with India at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the union territory of Ladakh. The June 15 Galwan incident saw ties between the 2 countries reaching a nadir in years. 20 Indian soldiers lost lives in the incident. While China did suffer casualties, it has been quiet about the number.
