NEW DELHI – Indian government true face exposed in international politics.
The Indian government has cancelled a two-day official visit to Ankara byPrime Minister Narendra Modi in the backdrop of Turkish President RecepTayyip Erdogan’s UNGA speech last month where he criticised India’s move onArticle 370 in Occupied Kashmir, local media reported.
Erdogan raised the Kashmir issue at the United Nations General Assembly(UNGA) and also backed Pakistan at the Financial Action Task Force (FATF)meet in Paris, following which India has decided to give the cold shoulderto Turkey.
After Turkish President’s remarks, Indian media reported that Ankara’s45,000-ton fleet support ships (FSS) deal for the Indian Navy, estimated tocost $2.3 billion, was expected to be put on hold.
Modi had last visited Turkey during the G20 Summit in Antalya in 2015. Hehad held bilateral talks with president Erdogan in Osaka, on the sidelinesof the G20 in June this year. The Turkish leader had paid a two-day visitto India in July 2018.
India has deployed thousands of troops after introducing a parliamentarybill to revoke its special status that led to a lockdown in held valley formore than 70 days now.
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Situation in Occupied Kashmir took an ugly turn when India withdrewconstitutional provisions on August 5 that gave Jammu and Kashmir moreautonomy than any other Indian state.
In retaliation to Modi’s government’s move, India flooded the region withadditional troops, and imposed curfew-like restrictions to keep a lid onprotests.
Although many curbs, including those on movement have been eased, mobiletelephone and internet connections in the Kashmir valley, home to aroundseven million people, remain cut off.
New Delhi insists that its move in August was essential to integrateKashmir fully into India and bring development to the Himalayan region, butthere is anger and discontent among many locals over the decision.
