WASHINGTON – India’s foreign minister abruptly cancelled a meeting withsenior members of the US Congress, after American lawmakers refused toexclude a congresswoman who has criticised Modi’s policies in IndianOccupied Kashmir, reported The Washington Post.
During his visit to Washington, India’s External Affairs MinisterSubrahmanyam Jaishankar scheduled a meeting with members of the US Congressbut Indian officials informed the committee that Jaishankar would cancelthe meeting if Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal was attending.
Jayapal has co-sponsored a resolution urging India to lift thecommunication blockade in occupied Kashmir.
“This only furthers the idea that the Indian government isn’t willing tolisten to any dissent at all,” she said.
“The seriousness of this moment should’ve been a reason for a conversation,not dictating who’s in the meeting, which seems very petty.”
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Days after the controversial new citizenship law was passed in India –offering citizenship rights to Hindu, Buddhist, Christian, Parsi and Jaincommunities migrating from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, butexcluding Muslims – US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met Jaishankar.
After the meeting, Pompeo expressed concern for minorities everywhere. “Wecare deeply and always will about protecting minorities, protectingreligious rights everywhere,” he said.
Regarding the anti-Muslim law, Jayapal said it “adds a whole level ofcomplexity to India as a secular democracy – one of the greatest prides ofthe country”.
