Jaishankar cancelled meet with US lawmakers over Kashmir criticism

Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar, who is in the US for 2+2 dialogue, has confirmed that a meeting with US lawmakers, including Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, was cancelled, saying her report on Kashmir was an unfair characterisation of the situation on the ground in Kashmir.

“Don’t think it [report] is a fair understanding of the situation in Jammu and Kashmir or fair characterisation of what the Government of India is doing. I have no interest in meeting her,” External Affairs Minister told sources after reports emerged that Jaishankar had suddenly cancelled a meeting with senior members of Congress.

EAM’s reaction came in response to a report of The Washington Post which claimed that a meeting was cancelled after US lawmakers refused to exclude a Congresswoman, identified as Pramila Jayapal, who had criticised the Indian government’s policies in Kashmir.

External Affairs Minister Jaishankar was to meet the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, it reported. “The Indian officials informed the committee that Jaishankar would not meet with the lawmakers if the group included Jayapal.

The report had quoted congressional aides familiar with the matter.