It has emerged that the Indian government had informed the United States months before about its plan to do away with the special status of Kashmir.
Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had relayed US Secretary of State about this in February this year, a couple of days after the Pulwama attack took place. However, the decision to bifurcate the Occupied Azad and Jammu Kashmir was an afterthought, an Indian website ThePrint quoted multiple sources as saying.
The US knew about the Indian government’s intentions to revoke Article 370 and 35 A.
The Print has further claimed that India on Monday also briefed envoys of the P-5 nations: The US, the UK, China, France and Russia as well as envoys of all 15 members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).
There are strong concerns in Pakistan that the US and Israel are behind India’s this move — one to strengthen its proxy in the region and the other to present the case as a support for its illegitimate claim and occupation on Palestinian land.
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The Indian government on August 5 announced to repeal the special status given to the occupied Kashmir under the constitution’s Article 370, which is feared to spark unrest in the disputed territory.
The announcement was made after massive deployment of additional Indian soldiers by the Indian government and thousands of tourists and Hindu pilgrims had been forced out of the Himalayan valley.
Educational institutes have been closed, public gatherings banned and internet and cellular services suspended indefinitely in the occupied valley. Mainstream and separatist Kashmiri leaders alike placed under house arrest, including former J&K CMs Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah. Residents of the valley had stockpiled essential rations and fuel amid the security crackdown.
