New Delhi, Jan 8, TEN Network | The Indian government is set to take a group of foreign envoys on a visit to Jammu and Kashmir this week for a first hand assessment of the situation in the region.
The planned visit comes six months after New Delhi revoked a special provision of its constitution, that gave special status to the region, and integrated Kashmir more closely with the rest of the country.
This is the first time New Delhi is inviting official representatives of foreign governments to visit Srinagar since the Indian Parliament revoked the state’s special status on 5-6 August.
The government had placed restrictions on movement of people and communications besides putting many Kashmiri political leaders in preventive detention. In recent weeks, the government has removed some of the restrictions on communications, allowing post-paid mobile services and SMS messaging services. Some of the politicians placed in preventive detention have also been set free.
The invite is expected to dispel some of the criticism that the government has faced over the communications blackout and detentions in Kashmir from international media and foreign governments and politicians.
According to officials in the Indian foreign ministry, the government has sent out invitations to almost two dozen diplomats based in New Delhi to visit Srinagar. These include representatives from Europe, South East Asia, the Gulf region and Latin America.
The foreign envoys will meet civil society leaders and business representatives in Srinagar.
The government had on 29-30 October facilitated a visit to Kashmir by 23 Members of European Parliament (MEPs) – mostly affiliated to political parties known for right-leaning ideology and agenda – to Kashmir. That move had drawn criticism from within given that the government had stopped some delegations from the Indian Parliament from visiting Kashmir. The European Union delegation was also not seen as an official delegation with the EU mission in India deeming it a private visit by representatives. The delegation had met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his National Security Advisor, Ajit Doval, in New Delhi before travelling to Srinagar. (LM)
