It's time to strengthen India against insurgencies in Kashmir, says columnist Sunanda Vashisht

It is high time to strengthen India to fight against insurgencies in Kashmir, said columnist Sunanda Vashisht, adding that the move will followingly help in solving the human rights problems in the region forever.

"India's democratic credentials are unmatched. The country has successfully, in a democratic setup, defeated insurgencies in Punjab and northeast. It is time to strengthen India against such insurgencies and the human rights problems will be solved forever," Vashisht told a Congressional hearing on Human Rights organised by Tom Lantos HR Commission in Washington on Thursday (local time).

"We are dealing with Islamic terrorism in Kashmir," Vashisht told the panelists.

"We have to be cognizant of the fact. All deaths have been happening due to terrorists trained by Pakistan. This doublespeak is not helping India in any way," the columnist stressed before the gathering.

She said that the international community has to assist India in eradicating radical Islamist terror that is when the human rights situation will be possible.

"Plebiscite in Kashmir is never going to happen," she said.

A plebiscite requires the entire community to unite for a decision, but in this case, a part of Kashmir is in India, another in Pakistan, a part of it is also held with China, Vashisht added.

In her concluding remarks, the columnist further stated that India has "not occupied" Kashmir and that Kashmir was always an integral part of India.

"India is not just a 70-year-old identity, but a 5000-year-old civilisation. There is no India without Kashmir, and no Kashmir without India, she said.