The Indian government recently reprimanded the United Nations General Assembly President Volkan Bozkir for making unnecessary and pro-Pakistan remarks on Kashmir. Stating that Bozkir, had done a “great disservice” to the office that he occupies with his comments on Kashmir, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) lashed out at the UNGA chief.
“We express our strong opposition to the unwarranted references made with respect to the Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir by the President of the United Nations General Assembly (PGA) Volkan Bozkir during his recent visit to Pakistan,” said Arindam Bagchi, official spokesperson of the MEA.
“His remarks that Pakistan is ‘duty-bound’ to raise this issue in the UN more strongly are unacceptable. Nor indeed is there any basis to other global situations,” Mr Bagchi further added.
#India slams #UNGA Chief for #JandK remark during #Pakistan visit
Totally Out of Tune & Reality. Most Regrettable !
Three Points
1. UNGA President Volkan Bozkir's remarked that
Pakistan was “duty bound” to raise the J&K issue more strongly in UN— LT GEN GURMIT SINGH, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, VSM (Retd) (@LtGenGurmit) May 29, 2021
India’s retort came in the backdrop of Bozkir’s recent visit to Pakistan where he urged the Imran Khan government to press on the Kashmir issue in the UN.
“I think it is the duty, especially Pakistan’s, to bring this to the United Nation platform more strongly.” Bozkir was quoted as saying.
The UNGA chief didn’t stop here and in a rather quizzical manner, whilst speaking to Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi compared the Kashmir and Palestine issue, as being one and the same.
“As the minister mentioned, and also compared to two important things, I think the two problems are of the same age, Palestine and Jammu and Kashmir, and I fully agree that this is the case,”
After receiving an earful from New Delhi for his partisan comments, Bozkir immediately went on the back foot and started making excuses to reduce the embarrassment.
“The President was saddened to see a press statement from the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, which portrays his remarks on Jammu and Kashmir from a selective perspective, while they are consistent with the longstanding UN position regarding this issue.” said Bozkir’s Deputy Spokesperson Amy Quantrill while adding “It is regrettable that the President’s remarks were taken out of context.”
The UNGA chief and his anti-India bias added with an inclination towards a particular ideology can be gauged clearly by his statements. Perhaps it explains how Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan have been able to stand at the UNGA platform, year in and out, and peddle the Kashmir line, without facing any consequence.
Read More: Erdogan toes Pakistan line on Kashmir, dreams of a neo-Ottoman Caliphate with himself as the Khalifa
Both the Islamic leaders have sought the platform to spread lies about the Indian government on Kashmir. However, with no other country coming in their corner on the issue, the trio of Erdogan, Imran Khan and Bozkir has failed to make any significant impact.