There is no Kashmir without India and there is no India without Kashmir says Sunanda Vashisht in this powerful and moving address on Kashmir
- In Current Affairs
- 11:01 AM, Nov 15, 2019
- Myind Staff
On Thursday in Washington DC, the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission sat down for hearing which aimed to put ‘Jammu and Kashmir’ in context. As the hearing began it took a familiar tone with left wing democrats and certain activists taking an oft repeated position on Kashmir which usually meant in the last few months as taking an Anti-India stance.
The first panel was typically one sided with claims made that were neither factual nor backed by any evidence. After the rhetoric of the first panel came the second panel which was lopsided as well which included majority voices from the extreme left but also included a name familiar with the readers at MyIndMakers, Sunanda Vashisht.
Sunanda was the sole Kashmiri Hindu representative on the panel and made some important points in a fierce and moving intervention made in front of the Committee.
She started here address off by saying “I am a Kashmiri Hindu, member of the minority hindu community from Kashmir valley in India, victim of the worst ethnic cleansing witnessed in independent India. I speak here today because I am survivor” after which she narrated the horrific stories of Girija Tickoo and B K Ganjoo.
She then said about the ISIS level terrorism in Kashmir by saying: “We have seen ISIS level of horror and brutality in Kashmir, 30 years before West was even introduced to the radical Islamist terror. I am glad these hearings are happening today because when my family and I lost our homes, our livelihood, and way of life the world remained silent"
She concluded her powerful address by saying “"I am a proud daughter of Kashmir. Terrorism has uprooted me and snatched my home from me. I hope my human rights are restored too someday.” And in her closing statement said: “There is no Kashmir without India and there is no India without Kashmir”
After the address there was a question and answer session, where Sheila Jackson Lee from Texas tried to steer away the discussion, but when questioned on Islamist terrorism and Pakistan she seemed to take a backseat.
You can watch the entire session here:
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