The US Congress' Foreign Affairs Committee on Human Rights held a special hearing on Tuesday on the human rights situation in South Asia with particular emphasis on India's post- 5 August changes in Kashmir. However, the committee's statements did not go over well with many Indian netizens.
The detention of local politicians and the communications blockade in the state of Jammu and Kashmir remained the focus of the discussion on the "humanitarian crisis". The issue of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in India's northeastern state of Assam, also came up for discussion and it was designated as the "anti-Muslim agenda of the BJP-run government in India".
Twitter erupted with backlash as Indians questioned the US hypocrisy to discuss the human rights issues in India without first looking at its own backyard.
These US Congressional hearings like the one on Kashmir involve interference in the internal affairs of a sovereign country. What stops our honourable Parliamentarians from holding such hearings on the state of human rights in North Americas?
— Divya Kumar Soti (@DivyaSoti) October 23, 2019
Aarti Americans know more about Kashmir than you,did you really think you were going to fool them with your agenda/false https://t.co/LmdVpgiPQd point is truth doesn’t need any PR or lobbyists. #Kashmir
— Mohammad Iqbal (@iqbal_1611) October 23, 2019
Its a very disturbing to see that unverified lies were propagated through the US committee on Foreign Affairs. India is a soveriegn country, not living on your mercy @IlhanMN . Please shut ur mouth & focus on your constituency. India should ban her entry for lifetime. #Kashmir @AartiTikoo
— Abhishek Ranjan (@1abhimat) October 22, 2019
India don't need lectures from Islamist Ilhan Omar.
— Akki (@Akki25442251) October 22, 2019
When are you gonna condemn Pakistan regarding Balochistan or Turkey regarding Kurds?
You are nothing but an Islamist who speaks only in support of Muslims.#IlhanOmar #Kashmir https://t.co/EXPCcP1UIk
Qatar backed Somali Islamist @IlhanMN
— kashmir mayra wataan (@mm_0774) October 23, 2019
Y is she interested so much for India n for her info #Kashmir is nt country it is state of India .
She is big threat to all. @narendramodi plz look this matter. She can't gv statement for our internal matter. https://t.co/7QHSbgA224
Pseudoliberals are breaking the back of real #Liberalism. Why should #KashmiriPandits forego their right to be heard on international stage? Why bend over backwards to most regressive political ideology on earth ? @IlhanMN & ilk are cancerous to the cause of liberalism. #Kashmir https://t.co/60le4PGapX
— तार्किक भारतीय (@D_CommonMan) October 23, 2019
However, US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar’s speech remained the major point of the hearing as some netizens applauded her for her take on the situation.
Thanks @IlhanMN for your voice for #Kashmir https://t.co/65kv94A1I8
— Yildrim Beyazid (@ZeeYildrim) October 23, 2019
Appreciation time, people. Let's be grateful to all the people who spoke for us. @IlhanMN Cannot thank you enough for making very clear & valid points about Kashmir.❤️#Kashmir #Omar #IlhanOmar https://t.co/TKttRZGf9m
— Samiya Latief (@Samiyalatief) October 23, 2019
Thank you @IlhanMN for raising the concern. Communication restrictions, mass imprisonment, illegal arrests in #Kashmir are highest of @UNHumanRights violations happening and #Assam has been turned into a rat lab with no accountability.
— سمیر گوجواری Sameer Gojwari (@SameerGojwari) October 23, 2019
Appreciate your support https://t.co/ZEkr1miFSr
Omar was later responded to by Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Alice G Wells, who wanted to convey that “we want Kashmiris voices to be heard…the institutions of India’s democracy are working…as a democracy we respect other democracies’ ability to self-police and self-regulate...”
