*NEW DELHI – I**ndia summoned Turkish Ambassador and lodged strong protestagainst President Tayyip Erdogan.*
India summoned the Turkish ambassador on Monday to lodge a diplomaticprotest over President Tayyip Erdogan’s remarks on Occupied Kashmir andwarned it would have a bearing on bilateral ties.
During a visit to Pakistan last week, Erdogan said the situation in IndianOccupied Kashmir (IOK) was worsening because of sweeping changes New Delhiintroduced in the Muslim-majority territory and that Turkey stood insolidarity with the people of Kashmir.
India told Turkish envoy Sakir Ozkan Torunlar that Erdogan’s commentslacked any understanding of the history of the Kashmir dispute, the Indianforeign ministry said.
“This recent episode is but one more example of a pattern of Turkeyinterfering in the internal affairs of other countries. India finds thatcompletely unacceptable,” foreign ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said.He added that India had served a strong demarche, or formal diplomatic note.
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India withdrew Kashmir’s autonomy in August and brought it under federalrule as a way to integrate the territory fully into India.
Pakistan slammed the illegal move, and other Muslim-majority countries suchas Turkey and Malaysia joined in calls for India to reconsider its actions.
