Delhi, Nov 20, TEN Network | Nearly a month after 27 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) kicked up a storm with their visit to the Kashmir Valley, the MHA has called the visit a private one at the invitation of International institute of Non Aligned studies, a Delhi-based think tank.
This was stated by MoS Home, G Kishan Reddy, in a written reply in Rajya Sabha. MHA has made no mention of Madi Sharma or the Women’s Economic and Social Think Tank (WESTT).
The government of Jammu and Kashmir has said that a group of 27 members of European Parliament who belong to different political parties including ruling and opposition parties paid a private visit to Kashmir on October 28, at the invitation of Institute for Non-Aligned Studies, a Delhi-based think tank.
On the other hand, a delegation of Indian MPs from opposition parties was not allowed to visit Kashmir Valley over security concerns.
The familiarisation visit by MEPs was facilitated was arranged as they had expressed the desire to visit Kashmir to understand how terrorism is affecting India and how it has been a challenge for India.
The Home Ministry further said how terrorism poses a threat to India, especially in Jammu and Kashmir.
Calling the visit fruitful, MHA said such exchanges promote a deep people-to-people contact and ultimately it feeds into the larger relationship, which any two countries would like to develop. (IT)
