Influential US Congressman expresses concern over situation in Kashmir, protests over CAA

Ahead of US President Donald Trump's maiden India visit next week, an influential US Congressman on Wednesday expressed concern over the situation in Kashmir and agitations over the new citizenship law, saying the country must protect its minorities and not lose its secular democracy.

Ami Bera, Chair of House Foreign Affairs subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific in the US Congress, said it was the desire of the US to see resolution of the Kashmir issue and return of normalcy in the region.

Bera, a democrat, and George Holding, the Republican co-chair of the India caucus, are on a two-day visit to India to "demonstrate" bipartisan support to India in the US Congress.

"We expressed our concerns over continued detention of political leaders in Kashmir," Bera told a group of journalists when asked whether he and Holding conveyed their concerns to Indian officials over situation in Kashmir.

"We do not want to India to lose secular democracy that is what sets it apart from countries in the region, that is what makes it such a valuable partner of the US," he said.

Bera also said he would like to take a Congressional delegation to Kashmir. "We did express our that we would like to take a delegation to Kashmir in some point of time."