Senior Congress leader, Shashi Tharoor, consistent with the nature of his party endorsed a clear American attempt at meddling in our internal affairs. He labelled the introduction of a bipartisan resolution on Kashmir as an ‘admirable effort’ by representatives of the US House Congress when in reality, it was an attempt at meddling in India’s internal affairs.
Restore Internet, End Detentions In Jammu&Kashmir, Says Bipartisan Resolution In US House. Admirable effort by US reps, whereas in our Parliament we have been unable even to have a discussion on the subject of Kashmir in the entire winter session. Shame. https://t.co/Q51xIVeZFb
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) December 8, 2019
The resolution was introduced by Indian-American Pramila Jayapal and it has been co-sponsored by Republican Congressman Steve Watkins. The resolution cannot be voted on in the Senate and does not have the force of law. Jayapal was urged not to introduce it by numerous members of the Indian-American community and her office received over 25,000 emails from Indian-Americans in addition to in-person meetings. However, she has decided to go ahead with it. There were also peaceful demonstrations outside her office against her move to table the resolution on Kashmir.
Thus, quite clearly, Jayapal does not even have the unequivocal support of Indian Americans. However, one person she does have support from is Shashi Tharoor. It is quite distressing that a senior leader of the main opposition party in India is cheering for a resolution that is effectively an interference in the internal affairs of India. India is a sovereign country and the least one would expect from Indian politicians is to protect the sovereignty of our nation. But Shashi Tharoor, it seems, will cheer for foreign entities that seek to undermine the sovereignty that we cherish as an independent country.
The proper response from Shashi Tharoor would have been to question the locus-standi of the US House of Congress in the matter of Kashmir. He should also have questioned what moral authority does the US have over India regarding ‘human rights violations’. The United States of America has violated the human rights of populations throughout its history and yet, it presumes to have the authority to lecture India about human rights. Instead of asking such legitimate questions, Shashi Tharoor calls it an ‘admirable effort’.
As disgraceful as it is, Shashi Tharoor’s stance isn’t surprising. Not too long ago, another senior leader of the Congress party, Mani Shankar Aiyar, had famously asked for Pakistan’s help to ‘remove’ PM Modi and bring a Congress government to power. The Congress party has also regularly toed the Pakistani line on matters of national security, be it Surgical Strikes, Pulwama Terror Attack, Balakot Air Strikes or Kashmir.
Therefore, as distressing as it may seem, Shashi Tharoor’s endorsement of interference in Kashmir by the US House Representatives is consistent with the pattern of behaviour the Congress party has demonstrated in recent times. It also, perhaps, explains why the Congress has been reduced to merely 52 seats in the Lok Sabha.
