A 28-member European parliamentary delegation will visit Jammu and Kashmir on October 29 to review the situation on ground.
Ahead of their visit to the erstwhile state, the delegation met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and NSA Ajit Doval and discussed the situation prevailing in Kashmir post abrogation of Article 370.
BN Dunn, a member European Parliament, confirmed the panel's visit. "Prime Minister explained to us about it (abrogation of article 370), but I want to see on the ground how it actually is and talk to some locals. What we all want is normalcy and peace for everyone," he said.
Advertisement
Speaking to delegation, Modi said urgent action must be taken against all those who support or sponsor terrorists or support such activities and organisations or use terrorism as a state policy. "There should be zero tolerance for terrorism," he said.
Expressing hope that the parliamentarians' visit to various parts of the country will be fruitful, Modi said the visit to J&K should give them a better understanding of the cultural and religious diversity of the regions of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh, a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office said.
The visit comes after the Kashmir issue attracted attention worldwide following the centre’s decision to abrogate J&K's special status and subsequent lockdown and communication blackout.
Advertisement
The international press widely reported on Kashmir: the communication blackout, reports of alleged human rights abuses and arrest of thousands of youth.
The US and the UK lawmakers have urged the Indian government to fully restore communication services in Kashmir and release the politicians who have been detained since August 5.
Life in Kashmir continues to remain crippled for the 85th consecutive day. The efforts of the state government to open schools have not borne any fruit. Parents have continued to keep their children at homes due to apprehensions about their safety. However, authorities are making preparations for holding all board examinations as per schedule.
While landline and postpaid mobile phone services have been restored across the valley, all Internet services continue to remain suspended since August 5 when the Centre abrogated Article 370.
Most of the top level and second rung separatist politicians have been taken into preventive custody while mainstream leaders including two former chief ministers -- Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti -- have been either detained or placed under house arrest.
The government has detained former chief minister and sitting Lok Sabha MP from Srinagar Farooq Abdullah under the controversial Public Safety act.
