Allowing UN report on Kashmir was failure of govt's foreign policy: Cong

The Congress today hit out at the government over the UN report on alleged human rights violation in Kashmir, saying how did it allow the world body to come out with such a report.

Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera, during a briefing here, accused the government of "criminal failure" on the foreign policy front.

"We are very agitated, concerned and worried, (that) how did the UN report on human rights see the light of the day. The prime minister keeps going to address the diaspora across the world. He talks big, comes back and this is what we get," Khera said.

The UN, earlier this month, had released the first-ever report on alleged human rights violation in Kashmir and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and demanded an international probe into it, evoking a sharp reaction from India which had termed the document as "fallacious and motivated".

 

New Delhi had also lodged a strong protest with the United Nations, saying the government is "deeply concerned that individual prejudices are being allowed to undermine the credibility of a UN institution."

The Congress had supported the government's stand in dismissing the UN report on human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir, terming it a "prejudiced attempt" by vested interests to hurt India's sovereignty and national interests.

Khera, in his remarks today, said the "biggest question mark on our foreign policy has been this, how was UN allowed in the first place to come up with the damning report, a shameless report, a report which the Congress rejected right at the word go.

"Congress criticised the report in far more sharper and stronger words than the government of the day. How was that report allowed. How did the report come out."

Slamming the government's foreign policy, he said Seychelles was turning hostile towards India along with Maldives, Russia was selling arms to Pakistan and China was giving training to Pakistan near the Rajasthan border.

"China comes and makes a helipad in Doklam and you are quiet," he said.

To a separate question on Rahul Gandhi's wish to go for the Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra, he said the Congress chief was yet to receive a response to his request.