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The dismissal by India of the special constitutional status of Jammu and Kashmir on Monday was condemned by Pakistan, raising fears of further escalation that could have regional and international consequences. Three conflicts have already pitted India and Pakistan against Kashmir. But for New Delhi, the question of Kashmir is an " internal affair ", said to RFI India's ambassador to France, Vinay Mohan Kwatra.
RFI: Four days ago, the Indian government put an end to Kashmir's autonomy. Why did you make that decision and why now ?
Vinay Mohan Kwatra: The decision of the Indian government is a landmark decision that has been made by the whole country. Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and the decision of the Indian Government to extend the provisions of the Constitution on Kashmir and to reorganize this State into two territories of the Union is an internal affair to India , a procedure defined in the Constitution that has been respected and this subject has been the subject of vigorous debate in Parliament. Why now ? Because the government has explained it very clearly. Provisional Article 370 of our Constitution contributed to social divisions, separatism and therefore extremism. The other negative point of this article 370 is that the population of Kashmir did not enjoy many aspects of economic and social development at the national level. Certain laws passed in the Indian Parliament were not applicable to the State of Kashmir, for example the right to education which is a fundamental right in the rest of India. Article 370 has thus become somewhat of an impediment to the benefits of social justice and economic development to the state of Kashmir and its inhabitants.
Since the withdrawal of autonomy status, several hundred people have been arrested, a curfew is in effect, the population has no freedom of movement, all communications are cut off. Eid begins this weekend and the Independence Day will be celebrated on August 15th. Does New Delhi plan to lift the state of emergency in anticipation of these events?
The security and protection of the public are paramount issues for the government, and I think that within this parameter, the government will do everything to bring the situation back to normal as soon as possible. Communications systems, internet connections and mobile networks have been partially reactivated. We hope everything will be back to normal in the next few days. But as I said before, everything will be decided in the context of security and the protection of citizens.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi depicted Thursday, August 8, during his speech to the nation, a very idealized picture of the future of Kashmir. How do you think these projects can actually materialize on the ground?
My prime minister is a man of action. The picture he has portrayed for the state and people of Kashmir is his deep conviction, but also that of the government as a whole. And we are confident that all these initiatives will be implemented very quickly and effectively for the well-being of the people of this state.
New Delhi reiterated that the Kashmir issue is an internal affair. But the three conflicts that have already raged between India and Pakistan around Kashmir, worries the international community, which fears a new escalation that would have regional and international consequences.
This measure is an internal matter to India, which has no implication on the regional situation. If you look at the history of the region, you will easily understand the reasons that caused these three wars. They mainly reside in cross-border terrorist activities. This decision does not in any way alter the boundaries defined in the 1972 agreement. Therefore the external borders on the control line have not been affected, they remain as they are. Our neighbor on the other side of the border tends to present an alarmist view of the facts and take unilateral action. And we regret that kind of decisions and words. We do not believe that there is a situation of instability as described by some, but that being said, I would like to stress that we will remain extremely vigilant and attentive regarding the security situation which, as I said, can escalate cross-border terrorism. We will not compromise with security.
India is the largest democracy in the world. Why does the Indian government not organize a referendum in Kashmir to ask the people what they want for themselves and their state?
When you choose your parliamentarians, they come from all parts of India, the same goes for legislators. And when the government decides to reorganize a state, there is nothing new there. A change in the Constitution has already occurred 12 or 14 times. And there is a very precise process in the Constitution that explains how to do it. And that is exactly what the government did. He got the overwhelming majority in Parliament and the Indian population. And I think that the question of a referendum of those who evoke this idea fundamentally questions the Indian democracy. And I would say that this is absurd, because no one questions the democratic achievements of India, I would mention, for example, the dynamism of the Panchayat, the elections of village councils in Jammu and Kashmir, and the parliamentary elections. held in both Kashmir and the rest of India. I therefore think that the referendum question has absolutely no place in today's India and its democracy. We are a powerful and dynamic democracy and we are very proud of it and we will remain a democracy, we are absolutely certain of it.
Several legal experts felt that New Delhi's decision to revoke Kashmir autonomy was an anti-constitutional step. In India, a petition was filed in the Supreme Court challenging the decision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. What is your position on this initiative?
I think it's up to the Supreme Court to decide. We are a democracy, justice is independent and people have the right to appeal on this issue. The Indian government and parliament have followed a very specific procedure that is outlined in the Constitution and they have taken measures that are internal to India. India is today one of the largest economies in the world , a State deeply committed to the peace and prosperity of its people and at the same time fundamentally committed to the protection and security of its population. This is, in my opinion, one of the reasons that led the government to make this decision concerning Kashmir and we hope that it will bring the expected effects for the well-being of the population in Kashmir and in the rest of the world. 'India.
►To read too - Kashmir: history of a territory torn in 12 dates