BENGALURU, Jan 6: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar asserted on Friday that bringing the Kashmir issue to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) in 1948 was a “fundamental error” and by revoking Article 370, India closed a ‘window of vulnerability’ it had been “foolish enough” to open.
Speaking at the Golden Jubilee Celebration of PES University in Bengaluru, Karnataka, Jaishankar, in a discussion with BJP leader Tejasavi Surya on his book ‘Why Bharat Matters,’ stated that India perceived the UN Security Council as a neutral arbiter at that time. However, a group of countries exploited Kashmir as a tool of vulnerability against New Delhi due to their “geo-political agenda.”
He emphasized that by the 1970s, it was evident that taking the Kashmir issue to the UNSC was a mistake as the judges there were biased towards Pakistan, being Western countries. Jaishankar remarked that a more astute understanding of international politics would have prevented the misreading that led to that decision.
Discussing the implications of Article 370, Jaishankar noted that it not only had profound effects within the country but also influenced India’s foreign policy. Abrogating it took decades, and according to Jaishankar, it closed a window of vulnerability that was opened in 1948.
Jaishankar encouraged young people to visit places with strong historical and cultural imprints, highlighting the significance of the upcoming inauguration of the Ram Mandir on January 22. He pointed out that India’s cultural influence extended beyond its borders, citing the connection between Korean Royalty and Ayodhya. Jaishankar noted the global interest in the events unfolding in India and the pride with which others view the country’s cultural revival.
