British MPs back revocation of Article 370, say, 'Indian Army stopped J&K from Talibanization'

Source : Republic TV

Image: PTI, Republic TV

In a big statement, a United Kingdom parliamentarian strongly backed India on the abrogation of Article 370 in J&K, citing how its revocation had ushered in important changes in the Kashmir valley. Addressing the parliament, UK MP for Harrow East, Bob Blackman raised the human rights violations in J&K before the law was abolished and cited the benefits that the abrogation had brought in for women, children as well as minorities that were otherwise being persecuted by radical Islamists.

"Until the abrogation of Article 370, no such protection was provided to the women of Kashmir. If a man says I divorce you three times, that is the end, no protection for women. But of course, now that Article 370 has been abrogated, they have protection. Under Indian law, it's illegal for children under the age of 14 to be married. Before the abrogation, women under the age of 14 could be married (in J&K)," the UK MP said.

BIG: UK Parliamentarian @BobBlackman in House of Commons says, Islamist Forces will Eliminate Democracy in Jammu & Kashmir like we saw in Afghanistan if Indian Troops are Withdrawn. Only Indian Army has stopped Jammu & Kashmir in India from becoming Taliban’s Afghanistan. pic.twitter.com/jsHIvcb4As

— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) September 24, 2021

Additionally, Bob Blackman highlighted the diverse population of Hindus, Buddhists and Sikhs who were natives to the region and were being persecuted before Article 370 was revoked. "With the revocation of Article 35A, the Hindu Kashmiri pandits who were expelled with a gun by Islamist forces now have the potential to return. Equally, local government has been restored in Jammu and Kashmir. The Kashmir Valley is a beautiful area, it is an opportunity for tourism, culture, trade and hydroelectric power but it has been tainted by multiple terrorist attacks, killings, child marriages and forced conversions by Islamic terrorists," he said.

Blackman added, "We should remember that Kashmir is predominantly Muslim, Jammu is predominantly Hindu and Ladakh is predominantly Buddhists and the fact is that historically persecuted religious minorities are Hindus, Sikhs, Christians, women and children. We have seen what's happened in Afghanistan, if (Indian) troops are not there, Islamist forces will eliminate democracy. Only Indian Army has stopped Jammu & Kashmir from becoming Taliban's Afghanistan."

Bob Blackman's stand was echoed by UK MP Theresa Villiers saying that J&K women were denied certain property rights if they married men from outside the state before the revocation. "This has been scrapped because Article 370 is gone. There is better protection of minorities," she said.

India had abrogated Article 370 and Article 35A on August 5, 2019, stripping the 'special status' given to Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcating the erstwhile state into- J&K and Ladakh.