New Delhi (NVI): Reacting to China’s remarks that reorganisation of Jammu and Kashmir was “unlawful” and “void”, India on October 31 asserted that Kashmir is an internal matter of the country while highlighting that China continues to be in illegal occupation of parts of J&K and Ladakh.
“China is well aware of India’s consistent & clear position on this issue. The matter of reorganization of the erstwhile state of J&K into UTs of J&K and Ladakh is entirely an internal affair of India,” said External Affairs Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar in a weekly media briefing here.
“China continues to be in the occupation of large tracts of area in the UT’s J&K and Ladakh. It has illegally acquired Indian territories from Pakistan occupied Kashmir under the so-called China-Pakistan boundary agreement of 1963,” the spokesperson added.
He further added, “We do not expect other countries, including China to comment on the matters which are internal to India, just as India refrains from commenting on internal issues of other countries. UTs of J-K, & Ladakh are an integral part of India.”
“We expect other countries to respect India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he said.
“As far as the boundary question is concerned India and China have agreed to seek fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable solution. This was reiterated also in second informal meeting between the two countries during Chinese President Xi Jinping visit to India earlier this month. In the interim, the two sides have also agreed to maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas,” the spokesperson further added.
Chinese Foreign Ministry in a statement had called the bifurcation of J&K as “unlawful” and “void” adding, “This is not effective in any way and will not change that fact that the area is under Chinese actual control.”
–Nad/PS
