Joe Biden asks India to restore peoples’ rights in Kashmir

NEW YORK: US Democratic presidential nominee and former vice president, Joe Biden, has highlighted India's repression in the disputed state of Jammu and Kashmir in his party's policy paper, with a call on New Delhi to take necessary steps to restore the rights of Kashmiri people.

The paper, entitled 'Joe Biden’s agenda for the Muslim American communities' posted on his campaign website reads, “In Kashmir, the Indian government should take all necessary steps to restore rights for all the people of Kashmir." Restrictions on dissent, such as preventing peaceful protests or shutting or slowing down the Internet, weaken democracy.” It added, “These measures are inconsistent with the country’s long tradition of secularism and with sustaining a multi-ethnic and multi-religious democracy.”

India annexed Jammu and Kashmir on August 5, 2019, in violation of UN Security Council resolutions and international law, bifurcating the region into Union territories. The move plunged Kashmir into a virtual blackout after communication and internet services were cut off, political leaders, activists and even children were detained, health infrastructure came to a halt, journalists were barred from reporting and all civil liberties were suspended.

The Indian government has also denied access to all UN and non-UN humanitarian agencies and civil society organisations.

So far, Biden is leading President Donald Trump in all the polls about the race for the November presidential elections. In the campaign policy paper, Biden has also expressed disappointment with the Hindu Nationalist government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi over its anti-Muslim measures like the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC).

The policy paper states, "Joe Biden has been disappointed by the measures that the government of India has taken with the implementation and aftermath of the National Register of Citizens in Assam and the passage of the Citizenship Amendment Act into law. "These measures are inconsistent with the country’s long tradition of secularism and with sustaining a multi-ethnic and multi-religious democracy.