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 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.