World

Jaishankar cancels US lawmakers meeting over Indian-American Rep who is a Modi govt critic 

Jaishankar was scheduled to meet House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Eliot Engel, Michael McCaul, Republican Party leader, Indian American Rep Jayapal and others to discuss situation in Kashmir

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar (IANS Photo)
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar (IANS Photo) 

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has cancelled a meeting with US lawmakers because he objected to the participation of Pramila Jayapal, an Indian-American Representative highly critical of India.

Jayapal tweeted on Thursday: "The cancellation of this meeting was deeply disturbing. It only furthers the idea that the Indian government isn't willing to listen to any dissent at all."

Published: undefined

Along with the comment, she retweeted a post by a Washington Post reporter who had reported on the meeting's cancellation.

Jaishankar was scheduled to meet House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Eliot Engel, Michael McCaul, the Republican Party leader on the panel, Jayapal, who is not a member of the committee, and others to discuss the Kashmir situation.

Published: undefined

The Post said that Indian officials told the committee that Jaishankar would not meet them if Jayapal was included in the group.

When Engel refused to exclude her from the group, Jaishankar cancelled the meeting, the newspaper reported quoting Jayapal.

Jayapal has introduced a resolution in the House of Representatives asking India to end the communications blockade and the "mass detetions" in the Kashmir.

Published: undefined

She criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Bharatiya Janata Party and the RSS at a hearing on Kashmir held by the House Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific in October.

She said that religious minorities in India were in danger and felt threatened.

Jayapal, who is originally from Chennai, was elected to the House in 2016 and is on the left in the Democratic Party's political spectrum.

Published: undefined

Follow us on: Facebook, Twitter, Google News, Instagram 

Join our official telegram channel (@nationalherald) and stay updated with the latest headlines

Published: undefined