A DMK member attacked the Union government on Wednesday, saying that it claims that the international community is visiting Jammu and Kashmir while it has not allowed Indian leaders to go there.
Speaking during a discussion on the budget for the union territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh, A Raja cited several adverse reports about visits of foreign delegation to the Valley and asked "what type of democracy are we maintaining here?"
He asked External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who was present in the House, as to how the Kashmir situation is being viewed internationally.
"How are the actions of the government being weighed by the international community?" he asked.
Raja noted that the Indian government had allowed a delegation of 27 Members of European Union on a private invitation of an NGO to visit Kashmir in October and said allegation was made that out of 27 members, 22 members were from "right-wing Islamophobic background and it was a guided tour to a five-star hotel in Srinagar".
He said UK parliamentarian Chris Davis had stated that the invitation to him was revoked by the Indian government after he insisted that he expected a free exchange of interaction with the public in Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.
"Is it not a shame on our part? You are saying that the international community is visiting but our own leaders are not at all allowed to visit Kashmir. What does it mean? What type of democracy are we maintaining here?" Raja asked.
He asked the government to start the "hijacked" political process and release detained political leaders.
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