India has strongly dismissed Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s recent call for Jammu & Kashmir to be addressed under United Nations resolutions. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) lodged a formal protest with the Turkish ambassador, condemning Erdogan’s remarks as unacceptable and reaffirming that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India.
“We reject such objectionable comments on matters that are internal to India. We have lodged a strong protest with the Turkish ambassador. Such unwarranted statements on India’s territorial integrity and sovereignty are unacceptable. Jammu and Kashmir are integral parts of India,” said MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal during a weekly press briefing.
This came after Erdogan raked Jammu and Kashmir during his visit to Islamabad, where he met Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. His comments marked a return to his previous stance on Jammu and Kashmir after nearly two years of refraining from mentioning the issue in global forums such as the UN General Assembly.
Erdogan’s Remarks and India’s Response
On February 13, while standing alongside the Pakistani Prime Minister, Erdogan asserted that the alleged issue over Jammu & Kashmir should be resolved through dialogue between India and Pakistan.
“The issue should be addressed according to the UN resolution through dialogue and keeping in mind the aspirations of the people of Jammu & Kashmir. Our state and our nation, as in the past, stands in solidarity with our Kashmiri brothers today,” he stated during a media interaction.
In response, the MEA criticized Erdogan for interfering in India’s internal matters and suggested that he should have instead focused on Pakistan’s policy of supporting cross-border terrorism.
“Instead of commenting on internal affairs of another country, it would have been better if Pakistan’s policy of using cross-border terrorism against India, which remains the biggest threat to the people of Jammu and Kashmir, had been called out,” Jaiswal said.
Firm Stance on Jammu & Kashmir
The MEA also responded to Pakistan’s Parliament passing a resolution urging India to conduct a plebiscite in Jammu and Kashmir. Jaiswal reaffirmed India’s long-standing position, stating that Jammu and Kashmir is an inseparable part of India.
“There should be no doubt or confusion about this,” he asserted, reinforcing India’s firm rejection of external interference in its internal affairs.
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