*SRINAGAR: *Dozens of clashes erupted in Indian Occupied Kashmir onTuesday, officials said, as a delegation of mostly far-right Europeanlawmakers paid a contentious visit to the restive region stripped of itsautonomy in August.
With a curfew in many parts of the main city, Srinagar, police fired teargas and shotgun pellets as around 40 clashes flared across the occupiedvalley, officials said.
It was unclear if there were any injuries.
The delegation of around 30 European lawmakers — including far-rightdeputies from Poland, France, Germany and Britain — met Indian PrimeMinister Narendra Modi on Monday, prompted accusations that it aimed toblunt criticism of New Delhi over Kashmir.
One MEP from Britain’s centrist Liberal Democrats, Chris Davies, said theIndian government withdrew his invitation after he insisted on being ableto talk to locals without a police escort.
“I am not prepared to take part in a PR stunt for the Modi government andpretend that all is well,” Davies said in a statement.
The delegation included members of the nationalist, anti-immigration andeurosceptic Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, France’s National Rally,the Brexit Party and Poland’s Law and Justice.
The Indian government said that the aim was to give the deputies “a betterunderstanding of the cultural and religious diversity” of the region.
An EU official in India stressed that it was “not on an official visit”.
Kashmir has been split between India and Pakistan since 1947, and on August5 New Delhi revoked the special status of the part of the region that itadministers.
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Since then New Delhi has barred scores of its own politicians and a USsenator from visiting the Himalayan region. Visits by foreign journalistsare also off limits.
Sending in tens of thousands of extra troops, hundreds of localpoliticians, lawyers and others were rounded up, most of whom still remainin detention.
Access to postpaid mobile phones was only restored on October 14 and theinternet remains cut for the Muslim-majority area’s more than seven millionpeople.
The UN High Commission for Human Rights said on Tuesday that it was“extremely concerned” at the situation.
“We urge the Indian authorities to unlock the situation and fully restorethe rights that are currently being denied,” it said.
Amid allegations of torture and unconfirmed reports of at least six deadcivilians, it said major political decisions about the region had beentaken without the “participation of the affected population”.
However, the UN also said it had received reports of armed groupsthreatening residents. -APP/AFP