Robert John Blackman, MP from Harrow East in the UK, said that Pakistani groups in Britain have been successfully running a false propaganda against India regarding Kashmir. He said India should counter Pak lies and should provide facts to British lawmakers. He said since India is not providing them with the real facts, the British MPs feel "helpless" in contesting the Pak claims. "Some Pakistani groups in Britain have successfully launched a vicious campaign against India as far as Kashmir is concerned. The Pakistani diaspora has been reflecting a propagandist picture on Kashmir in UK," he said while interacting with Kashmiri Pandits during his visit to the state.
"The government of India should provide the MPs in UK with facts and figures to contest the false claims and lies spread by Pakistan on Kashmir," he said. The MP, better known as Bob Blackman who was on a three-day visit to the state, asked the displaced Kashmiri Pandits to come out and fight the vicious campaign of Pakistan on Kashmir in UK and the West.
"We try to get facts and figures on Kashmir from India, but it does not usually come to us. We feel helpless to uncover the Pakistan propaganda," he added. Asserting that "Kashmir is integral part of India and liberation of Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) is the issue which has to be solved", Blackman said, "the accession of Kashmir with India was final because the 'Instrument of Accession' was signed by none other than the then ruler of Jammu and Kashmir on behalf of the people of Jammu and Kashmir."
Blackman, who along with some NGOs of Jammu and Kashmir is trying to present the Kashmir issue in proper perspective before the British Parliament, said the UK MPs have started the process of using diplomatic means to present the real picture of the issue. He praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's efforts in building better relations with Britain and said his country stands shoulder to shoulder with India in facing the challenge of terrorism.
Talking about the "problem of radicalization", he said it was not confined to Britain or India but was a global issue. "Radicalization among younger people is a worldwide trend and it is high-time for the world community to come together and solve this problem," he said.
