The editorial desk of the New York Times seems to be inordinately perturbed by the Indian government’s move to abrogate Article 370 and bifurcate the state of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories. After the Indian government took the momentous decision, the NYT published an editorial imploring the US government and China to join hands in stopping what they described as “India’s Folly”.
In an editorial slamming India for repealing Article 370, the New York Times cited the close ties between the United States and China saying, “The United States and China shouldn’t let Kashmir become a puppet in their ceaseless disputes.” Casting gloom over India’s decision, the newspaper claimed that India’s move to do away with “semi-autonomous” state will result in imminent bloodshed and escalate into an unpredictable regional crisis.
Invoking erstwhile US president Bill Clinton’s characterisation about Kashmir- “The most dangerous place on Earth”, the NYT editorial quoted Pakistani Foreign Ministry saying it will exercise all possible options to counter India’s illegal move. The editorial also stated that India’s move may invite Pakistani action and result in an intractable conflict between the two nuclear countries.
The NYT asked the two countries-United States and China to take urgent action to set right India’s folly and stop the region from plunging into a catastrophic abyss.
While asking the US and China to intervene, the editorial highlighted the shift in USA’s preference from Pakistan to India. “The fray is not without global implications. Under President Trump, the United States has shifted its favours from Pakistan, a longtime recipient of American aid, to India, which the administration perceives as a bulwark against China. China, meanwhile, has become an ally and financial patron of Pakistan.”
The New York Times, who couldn’t dissuade American retailer giant Wallmart from selling the guns even after two recent gruesome shooting incidents that rocked the States, believes that the two nations who are in a perennial tariff war will shun their differences and come together to violate India’s sovereignty by intervening in its internal matter. Historically Americans consider communists to be their biggest enemy, but now the NYT wants the world’s oldest democracy to ally with Communist China against the world’s largest democracy.
NYT’s wish of UN intervention in Kashmir has already been rejected after the UN chief had today snubbed Pakistan claiming that the UN has no locus-standi over the Kashmir issue as it is a bilateral issue as per Shimla Agreement.
