Kapil’s Khichadi
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9/11 will now go down in history as the day the extremists got a right kicking in Parliament, as did their vote loving MPs who prostituted the integrity of Parliament to garner the votes of the Pakistani Muslim community at any cost.
So what am I talking about? Last week in Kapil’s Khichadi I informed everyone of the debate David Ward MP had instigated on Kashmir. The Indian Government were sleeping during this process and finally woke up at the 11th hour to put in their shock and horror statement. Of course one has to question the Indian consulate in the UK, what on earth were they doing?
Fortunately we had Hindus that came together to put up a fight. For once in this country there was a proper briefing paper that was presented to key MPs so they were armed with facts on Kashmir. The Kashmiri Pandits Cultural Society also has to be congratulated for coming together at short notice and ensuring that members were available to attend the events on the 2nd and 4th of September, as well as being there on the big debate day -11th September. I spoke to Lakshmi Kaul and Team KP as it is now known, and the clear impression they gave me was of a community that has suffered in silence for far too long. Successive Indian Governments failed to grasp the nettle for fear of upsetting the so called ‘secular’ brigade. They forgot, the first duty of any Government is to ensure justice and it is now time Kashmiri Hindus got justice.
Going back to the debate, David Ward (Bradford East) MP kicked it off with muddled thinking and a bumbling performance. Even his colleagues were rolling their eyes in horror, frustrated they were with this court jester. It came as a huge sigh of relief when he finally concluded, but what was the point of the rubbish he had just expounded?
In came Barry Gardiner who provided a breath of fresh air and livened up the debate and brought focus back on the main issues. He did well and yes he has to be commended. Barry reminded his colleagues that, ‘More than 20,000 people have already been killed by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir, and it is no use Hon. Members here in this Chamber of all places condemning the radicalisation of young Muslim men in their own constituencies, while ignoring the fact that those young men are trained in the terror camps that are operating on the Pakistan border with Jammu and Kashmir. Those who continue to argue to undermine the legitimate sovereignty of India might do better to reflect that the people of India live in a relatively transparent and well-functioning democracy where the economy is growing’.
MP Barry Gardiner with Virendra Sharma in the background [L].
With MP Khalid Mahmood (Birmingham) on the right looking rather disjointed and dejected.
Last week I put Mr Virendra Sharma on the spot by asking whether he was going to do ‘U’ turn or continue to support the Kashmiri Hindus. I am pleased to say he did well and must also be commended. He reminded his colleagues that, ‘Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India, the largest democracy in the world, one that is secular, and with elected representation from all the country’s main religions’. Adding, ‘I am also concerned about the balance of the debate and its misguided aims. I therefore feel the need to mention the terrible plight of the Kashmiri Pandits. The Pandits have been the victims of continued ethnic cleansing’.
Conservative MP Bob Blackman in full flow giving the opposition something to think about.
At this point it became clear that the Pakistani loving Muslim Kashmiri separatist were agitated. This time they were not getting their own way and MPs who appease to these extremist were left red faced. However the best was yet to come, in stepped Conservative MP Bob Blackman who immediately put the opposition on their back foot by declaring, ‘I stand as an unabashed friend of India to defend India’s position in the conflict and the people who were ethnically cleansed from Kashmir’. His robust in your face oration stunned the gallery when he said, ‘we can say that the continued conflict of the past 70 years is terrible, but that it is clear where responsibility for it lies. We must place it fairly and squarely with the Pakistanis and their successive Governments’. This was applauded by the people in the gallery. He continued his fiery speech ending by saying, ‘It is now some 25 years since the worst atrocities in the Kashmir valley, when Hindus were driven out by the Islamic fundamentalists. We should be on the side of the people who suffered [Kashmiri Hindus] and make sure that the people who are in exile have the right to return to the homes that they occupied for centuries’.
There were a number of other contributions; Stephen Pound did his customary sitting on the fence routine. Paul Uppal stood up and I have to say, given he is a person of Indian origin; his was a wasteful lame attempt in what should have been his moment. There were the normal host of pro-Pakistani, pro-Kashmiri separatist loving MPs who were very keen to ensure that they did not harm their Pakistani Muslim votes. These constituted MPs from both the main parties and my message to both Party leaders is simple, get your act together. These idiotic MPs are playing with the lives of victims simply to secure votes from Pakistani Kashmiri Muslims, and some from this community have brought shame to Islam with the revelations of the wholesale sexual abuse of girls as young as 11 years in places like Rotherham. The mentality that drives the Kashmiri separatist seems to be the same mentality that fires the sexual abuse gangs in the UK and many believe it’s the same mentality that is currently driving ISIS in exterminating everyone in their path in Iraq.
British MPs must be brought to task if they turn a blind eye to gross violations of human rights in places like Rotherham, Rochdale, Oxford and we have of course seen the ‘Trojan Horse’ in Birmingham. I would not be too surprised if these pathetic excuses for MPs lower themselves to propose the right of self-determination in places like Bradford soon. No doubt the Pakistani Muslims will be jumping for joy that they have these MPs twisted round their fingers.
However on this day, 9/11, victory went to the Kashmiri Hindus. Jai Hind.
Kapil's Khichadi 
Excellent work, Kapil. Let’s highlight the real situation in Kashmir which continues to suffer due to direct involvement oh Pakistan and its proxy terrorists in the Valley!
At last the truth prevailed, at least on this occasion – this was possible on this occasion because Hindus came together boldly with single mind and assertively, leaving aside their personal politics.
Our heart-felt thanks and congratulations. Just imagine if we have 100 Kapilji, where would we be! Even MP Virendra Sharma uttered right words but unless he is constant like Bob Blackman, we have to be cautious, especially as the next election is on the horizon. Now how about having our own vote bank! People are constantly reminding me to do something.
Bhupendra
From a neutral British lens whose interests are what the British parliament is supposed to represent- the debate was dominated by partisan rhetoric. The only difference from the previous such debates was that those backing India outnumbered the other side.
The only speaker who was factual, objective and stayed focussed on the real issues intriguingly happened to be from Labour – Barry Gardiner. He has showed in the past that supporting Modi and his government is easy, one just has to stay factual. This time he used the same facts to argue that British interests dictate that Britain stays away from such debates and from meddling in the democratic India.
I am aware of the effort that went into it for which you personally deserve a lot of credit. However calling the occasion a victory is a bit presumptuous- the fact is that it created a perception that British parliament still has the right to meddle in democratic India. The victory would have been Indian HC blocking the debate. But then most who attended seemed glad that it gave them their moment in spotlight to attend the parliament which they may not have got otherwise. #justsaying
Anyway, BBC that would be read by many more than who watched or are aware of this debate, carries on unrestrained: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-29204977
The only thing I know is that there was a clear attempt by the extremist to yet again undermine Kashmiri Hindus as well as all Indians and India. It’s not our job to put the world right, that rests with those who have the power. However the little bit we can do – we must. As they say, all too often people have remained silent, or on the excuse of being neutral, have refused to state the facts as they are – maybe that tide is now turning. It is a victory…..you only had to be in Parliament on that day to see the expressions on all our Kashmiri bothers and sisters. For decades the suffering has been in silence, and whilst to the rest of the world it may not look like a victory – trust me, to the victims of genocide – this goes some way.
The “extremist” was clearly playing to his constituency, and certainly did not realise that the world (and the UK) has moved in terms of how it sees the importance of relationship with India post-Modi. As I already said, there is no doubt that credit must be given for the efforts put by yourselves and the rest of the team.
I certainly do not believe in silence or that silence equates to neutrality, or rather in fact any need to appear neutral for an observer.
My point was simply looking at the debate from the eyes of British MPs, who do have the duty to stay neutral and objective. The moment they turn to rhetoric or stray from the topic or the facts, they lose their credibility and with that their impact. In this regard, Barry Gardiner stood out from everyone else.
Regarding KPs, the debate needs to move on. Yes, true that their suffering has been ignored for long, and far too long, and ignored to an incredible extent by their own past governments. However, going against the tide, the fact is that shrill victimhood (and shrill does not imply false, before someone jumps on me) only goes that far. With the new government in place, they have a voice, and they need to come up with a constructive what “next”? Would they want to return to valley and if yes, while doing so build bridges and live alongside those who pushed them out, or create “ghettos” based on religions? I have yet to hear or read anything beyond highlighting the grave injustice that happened 25 years back. Again at the cost of repeating I am not suggesting highlighting injustice is not important but once that is recognised, what next?