MP clarifies stand on Kashmir petition
Green MP Keith Locke has said that presenting a petition to Parliament in his capacity as an MP does not mean he agrees with its contents.
Mr Locke told Indian Weekender that he was not flying a banner for Indian troops to leave Kashmir but merely conducting his duty as a Member of Parliament, who must present a petition when requested by either an individual or a group of persons.
The Green MP presented a petition to the New Zealand Parliament requesting that the House of Representatives urge the New Zealand government to call on the Indian government to withdraw its occupation of Kashmir and “stop the on going violence against Kashmiri civilians.”
He acknowledged the longstanding complexity of the problems in Kashmir and categorically said that he did not agree with the view that Indian troops must leave, given the law and order situation on the ground.
The petition had been referred to the Foreign Affairs and Trade Committee for further action. In his concluding remarks to the petition, Mr Locke has said that the concerned parties need to sort the matter among themselves and has proposed a referendum for the people of Kashmir about whether they would like to be a part of India, stay independent or join Pakistan.
Kashmir born New Zealander Veer Khar, who also met Mr Locke, says the referendum would be a fruitless exercise. Kashmir has had seven elections over the years and political parties that have contested these have always been divided along the lines of whether to join India, stay independent or join Pakistan.
“In that sense, a referendum has been conducted in Kashmir seven times,” he said. “So it’s quite pointless suggesting another one.” But Mr Locke said he believed there needed to be a referendum separate from the elections.
Speaking to Indian Weekender, Mr Khar said he was relieved to know that the MP who presented the petition did not support its contents.
“Asking the Indian law and order machinery to get out of Kashmir would cause havoc. It’s a bit like asking the coalition forces to leave Afghanistan or even the special police contingent which was rushed to Christchurch following the earthquake to leave suddenly,” Mr Khar said.
The presence of troops helped maintain a semblance of normalcy in Kashmir, Mr Khar said. “But for them, extremist elements could well enforce their writ at gunpoint and enforce fundamentalist ideologies, which would rob the people of whatever freedom now exists – girls won’t be able to go to school and women won’t be able to work,” he added.
The dispute on Kashmir goes back more than 60 years, to a time when India and Pakistan became independent nations. The two neighbours have fought three wars over the dispute and had a number of talks to try to resolve the issue.
Pakistan has continued to internationalise the Kashmir issue down the years. A news report published last week says the Pakistan government paid British Parliamentarian George Galloway 135,000 pounds from a secret fund for promoting its case on the Kashmir issue, according to information provided to a Parliamentary panel in Pakistan.
The Pakistan High Commission in London paid the 135,000 pounds to Mr Galloway from the "Pakistan projection fund" but it was never credited to the government account. However, the amount had since been refunded by Mr Galloway, report said.
Green MP Keith Locke has said that presenting a petition to Parliament in his capacity as an MP does not mean he agrees with its contents.
Mr Locke told Indian Weekender that he was not flying a banner for Indian troops to leave Kashmir but merely conducting his duty as a Member of Parliament,...
Green MP Keith Locke has said that presenting a petition to Parliament in his capacity as an MP does not mean he agrees with its contents.
Mr Locke told Indian Weekender that he was not flying a banner for Indian troops to leave Kashmir but merely conducting his duty as a Member of Parliament, who must present a petition when requested by either an individual or a group of persons.
The Green MP presented a petition to the New Zealand Parliament requesting that the House of Representatives urge the New Zealand government to call on the Indian government to withdraw its occupation of Kashmir and “stop the on going violence against Kashmiri civilians.”
He acknowledged the longstanding complexity of the problems in Kashmir and categorically said that he did not agree with the view that Indian troops must leave, given the law and order situation on the ground.
The petition had been referred to the Foreign Affairs and Trade Committee for further action. In his concluding remarks to the petition, Mr Locke has said that the concerned parties need to sort the matter among themselves and has proposed a referendum for the people of Kashmir about whether they would like to be a part of India, stay independent or join Pakistan.
Kashmir born New Zealander Veer Khar, who also met Mr Locke, says the referendum would be a fruitless exercise. Kashmir has had seven elections over the years and political parties that have contested these have always been divided along the lines of whether to join India, stay independent or join Pakistan.
“In that sense, a referendum has been conducted in Kashmir seven times,” he said. “So it’s quite pointless suggesting another one.” But Mr Locke said he believed there needed to be a referendum separate from the elections.
Speaking to Indian Weekender, Mr Khar said he was relieved to know that the MP who presented the petition did not support its contents.
“Asking the Indian law and order machinery to get out of Kashmir would cause havoc. It’s a bit like asking the coalition forces to leave Afghanistan or even the special police contingent which was rushed to Christchurch following the earthquake to leave suddenly,” Mr Khar said.
The presence of troops helped maintain a semblance of normalcy in Kashmir, Mr Khar said. “But for them, extremist elements could well enforce their writ at gunpoint and enforce fundamentalist ideologies, which would rob the people of whatever freedom now exists – girls won’t be able to go to school and women won’t be able to work,” he added.
The dispute on Kashmir goes back more than 60 years, to a time when India and Pakistan became independent nations. The two neighbours have fought three wars over the dispute and had a number of talks to try to resolve the issue.
Pakistan has continued to internationalise the Kashmir issue down the years. A news report published last week says the Pakistan government paid British Parliamentarian George Galloway 135,000 pounds from a secret fund for promoting its case on the Kashmir issue, according to information provided to a Parliamentary panel in Pakistan.
The Pakistan High Commission in London paid the 135,000 pounds to Mr Galloway from the "Pakistan projection fund" but it was never credited to the government account. However, the amount had since been refunded by Mr Galloway, report said.
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