Backing India’s stand on Kashmir after the scrapping of Article 370, Russian envoy Nikolay Kudashev said the country recognises the Indian government’s decision as an internal matter. He said Russia understands that it is a sovereign decision taken by the Indian government and added that the country respects India’s stand on the matter. “Abrogation of Article 370 is a sovereign decision of the Indian government. It is an internal matter of India and such issues can be resolved between India and Pakistan under Simla and Lahore agreements. Our views are exactly the same as India’s,” Kudashev said. Several countries have come out in India’s support after the government scrapped Article 370, which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir. France, UK, US, UAE and Sri Lanka are some of the other countries who have recognised India’s move as an internal matter. Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged all countries involved in the Kashmir debate to avoid any escalation during the G7 Summit in the French town of Biarritz. Soon after the Indian government decided to scrap Article 370, External affairs ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar made it clear that it is an internal matter of India and that it has been done for the benefit of the region. However, India’s neighbour Pakistan strongly opposed the move and its prime minister Imran Khan has been threatening action against India ever since. Earlier, Pakistan had downgraded diplomatic ties with India and approached China to oppose India’s decision at a closed-door meeting of the United Nations Security Council. This despite India’s repeated assertion that Kashmir is its internal matter and no other country has any right to interfere. Pakistan even went to the extent of writing a letter quoting Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to highlight the “deaths” in Jammu and Kashmir. In the letter written to the UN, Pakistan’s human rights minister Shireen Mazari mentioned statements made by Rahul Gandhi regarding the ongoing situation in the Valley. While Gandhi’s party has been critical of the government’s move to scrap Article 370, he made it clear to Pakistan that it has no right to interfere as the matter is internal. He said, “I disagree with this Govt. on many issues. But, let me make this absolutely clear: Kashmir is India’s internal issue & there is no room for Pakistan or any other foreign country to interfere in it.” “I disagree with this Govt. on many issues. But, let me make this absolutely clear: Kashmir is India’s internal issue & there is no room for Pakistan or any other foreign country to interfere in it,” he added.
