The Centre on Thursday called United States Congresswoman Ilhan Omar “narrow-minded” and criticised her for visiting an area of Jammu and Kashmir, overlooking the fact that it was part of the territory of India despite being under alleged illegal occupation of Pakistan.
Omar, a member of the US House of Representative, landed in Islamabad on Wednesday. She on Thursday visited Muzaffarabad – the main city of the part of J&K that India accuses Pakistan of illegally occupying.
“We have noted that US Representative Ilhan Omar has visited a part of the Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir that is currently illegally occupied by Pakistan,” Arindam Bagchi, the spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, said in New Delhi. “If such a politician wishes to practice her narrow-minded politics at home, that may be her business. But violating our territorial integrity and sovereignty in its pursuit makes it ours,” he said in response to a question. “This visit is condemnable.”
Omar and Rashida Tlaib are the first two Muslim women to serve in the US Congress.
Omar had in the past criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government over perception about India’s backsliding on human rights and religious freedom.
She had as recently as on April 7 criticised the US President Joe Biden’s administration for its reluctance to criticise the Modi government for "persecution" of Muslims in India.
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(Published 21 April 2022, 12:42 IST)
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