Panthers Party questions Britain's right to discuss Kashmir

Challenging the British Parliament's right to debate human rights violations in Kashmir, the National Panthers Party (NPP) said Monday Jammu and Kashmir is as much a part of India as Wales is of Britain.

Talking to media here Monday, NPP's patron Bhim Singh said just 40 of the 640 British parliamentarians agreeing to debate the alleged violations in Jammu and Kashmir does not change the reality that the state is an integral part of the country.

He also questioned the silence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on this sensitive issue.

Bhim Singh said the British empire neither cared about its former colonies while setting fire to them nor did the British Parliament resent hunger deaths of dozens of Irish leaders who fought for the liberation of Ireland from Britain.

He said Britain divided India in 1947, and then Palestine in 1948 using the United Nations.

British MP David Ward has informed the backbench business committee that the new Indian government has been "quite aggressive in terms of its stance towards Kashmir, which was opening up a whole new area of uncertainty".

Ward also claimed the support of 40 parliamentarians through a signature campaign for the move that the Westminster hold a debate on the issue.