The injustice done by the West in the United Nations on Kashmir was exposed in the Raisina dialogue – a global multilateral conference held in New Delhi every year. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar did not see his words as he showed how the United Nations had faltered in its understanding and attitude on the issue.
Shri Jaishankar mentioned that the “longest” illegal occupation of one region has been experienced by India after World War II – in Kashmir. The Entrepreneurs in Jammu and Kashmir, including Gilgit and Baltistan, were called in the northern regions before 1970, accused in India in 1947. Pakistan invaded Jammu and Kashmir in unilateral act of aggression and has since captured parts of the Indian Union.
Speaking about Kashmir at the forum today, Mr. Jaishankar highlighted the selective approach and application of global rules on issues related to sovereignty and regional integrity.
As he expressed concern over historical injustice to deal with some issues, he batted for the establishment of the United Nations “reform, strong and fair”. Explaining how the United Nations had not condemned illegal occupation in some parts of Jammu and Kashmir of Pakistan, Mr. Jaishankar said that “attackers” (Pakistan) and “victim” (India) were consulted under the same bracket.
“We all talk about sovereignty and regional integrity. We all agree that this is an important principle. It is the basis of global rules. After World War II, illegally illegally illegally, I would say that another country is occupied by another country, occupying a region, India, which we saw in Kashmir,” he said.
“Now we went to the United Nations, but what was an attack was in a dispute. So the attacker and the victim were kept on equal. Who were Britain, Canada, Belgium, Australia, USA?
Supporting an improvised and strong United Nations, Shri Jaishankar said that global norms and rules should be implemented equally. “We need a strong United Nations, but a strong United Nations needs a fair to a UN,” he said.
“A strong global order must have some basic stability of standards,” he said, calling for a new and improvised world system. “I think we need an international order, as we need a domestic order. As soon as you need a society in a country, you need an international version of it and not only its big countries will benefit, if there is no order. I will argue that any country which will be in a extreme position, which we have really. Neighbors have done a very good work.
Citing another example without the naming of Pakistan and how the West has been selective in its approach, Mr. Jaishankar said that “We (India) have military rule in our east – Myanmar. They are not. No – no. But we have even more in the West. They know that they are fine (for the West). The world has changed.
The minister today made this comment on the session on ‘Thrones and Thorns: Defending the Integrity of Nations’ in the Raisina Dialogue.
