Euro MPs visiting Kashmir suffer from Islamophobia, says Indian politician

NEW DEHLI: The President of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen, Asaduddin Owaisi on Tuesday slammed New Delhi for allowing the delegation of European Parliament’s members to visit Kashmir.

Owaisi in a statement issued in New Delhi also pointed out that most of the MPs who are a part of the delegation suffer from Islamophobia, Kashmir Media Service reported.

Nearly 30 Members of the European Parliament, drawn mainly from extreme right-wing parties, was the first international delegation to visit Indian occupied Kashmir since New Dehli imposed a security clampdown in August to back the ending of the region’s autonomy.

While the Indian government backs the visit, the European parliament and European Union hierarchy have not been involved, raising some diplomatic doubts. Several European embassies in New Delhi were unaware of the visit until Monday, AFP reported.

Thierry Mariani, a Euro MP for France’s far-right National Rally, told AFP “we are going to see the situation in Kashmir, at least what they want to show us”.

Indian authorities have kept the valley besieged since August 5 after revoking special autonomy of occupied Kashmir from the Indian constitution. The territory portrays a worsening state of human rights abuse.