SDPI terms visit of European Union MPs to J&K as ‘match-fixing’

By Pervez Bari  New Delhi:  The Social Democratic Party of India, (SDPI), has termed it as “match-fixing” by Govt. Of India which has allowed a delegation of 27 European Union MPs – 22 of whom belong to far-right parties – to visit Jammu and Kashmir to assess the ground situation after the scrapping of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status under Article 370.
SDPI national president’s statement SDPI national president M. K. Faizy in a statement questioned if scrapping of Article 370 has integrated J&K into India, then why Indian politicians were barred from visiting the state? Instead, a group of far-right and fascist-leaning EU MPs have been allowed by GOI. He wondered as to what they will see in the locked-down J & K and whom they will report to. It looks like a stage-managed melodrama to hoodwink the world about Kashmiri’s plight by getting a fake rosy picture endorsed by these European Union MPs. The Modi Govt. is trying to get certificate from paid right-wing lawmakers, whose tour has been organized and financed, for all-is-well in J & K.
Faizy said that first of all there is no need to invite any foreigners to come and pass opinions on Indian internal matters as claimed by the government. Even if it is necessary to set record straight then why not allow UN sponsored delegation which has representatives from every country? Will the Modi Govt. have the guts to do so? He asked as to why are the country’s Opposition leaders not allowed if everything is OK in Kashmir? These Opposition leaders who are not allowed to go there are also elected and they have been elected by the Indian people.  It is certainly a mockery of Indian democracy.
Track record of MPs The statement stated that the track record of some of the visiting delegation of European Union MPs is very much tainted. Of the 27 members of the European Parliament visiting India, at least 22 belong to right-wing or far-right parties in UK, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Czech Republic and Slovakia. They are broadly anti-immigration in Italy, in favor of Brexit in the UK, and against migration and belong to Marine Le Pen’s party in France, and the far-right and anti-establishment Alternative fur Deutschland in Germany.