JAMMU, OCT 23: BJP spokesperson and former Vice Chairman Balbir Ram Rattan on Friday described a motion tabled by British Conservative MP Bob Blackman in the UK House of Commons as a significant expression of support for India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity over Jammu and Kashmir, asserting that the initiative reinforces the historical and constitutional basis of the erstwhile state’s accession to India.
With Jammu and Kashmir Accession Day approaching on October 26, Balbir said the motion carries particular political and symbolic significance, given Britain’s historical association with the Indian subcontinent. He maintained that the Instrument of Accession signed by Maharaja Hari Singh on October 26, 1947, established Jammu and Kashmir’s accession to India and that historical facts could not be altered through misinformation, political narratives or external interference.
Welcoming the initiative, Balbir appreciated Bob Blackman and other supporting British MPs for highlighting the significance of Jammu and Kashmir’s accession to India and drawing attention to the suffering caused by terrorism, particularly the targeted violence and displacement of Kashmiri Pandits. He alleged that Pakistan-sponsored terrorism had inflicted immense suffering on the people of Jammu and Kashmir over several decades, claiming innocent lives, disrupting peace and hampering development.
Balbir said that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, sustained efforts had been made to strengthen peace, security and development in Jammu and Kashmir. He described the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019 as a landmark constitutional decision that strengthened the region’s integration with the rest of the country and opened new avenues for investment, infrastructure development and public welfare.
Clarifying the status of the British initiative, the BJP spokesperson acknowledged that the motion was an initiative supported by individual British parliamentarians and should not be construed as a formally adopted resolution of the British Parliament. However, he argued that the move carried considerable political and symbolic weight by bringing attention to India’s position on Jammu and Kashmir in the British parliamentary arena.
Reiterating that India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity were non-negotiable, Balbir said international expressions of support helped counter what he described as misleading propaganda against the country. He urged the international community to acknowledge historical realities, unequivocally oppose terrorism and support lasting peace, stability and prosperity in Jammu and Kashmir.
