India’s New York consul triggers row

New Delhi: A major controversy broke out on Wednesday after leaked video footage showed the Indian consul general in New York, Sandeep Chakravorty, pushing for implementing the “Israeli model” in Jammu & Kashmir for Kashmiri Pandits wanting to return to their homeland.

Addressing a group of Kashmiri Pandits at a private event in the city, the video shows that Mr Chakravorty being applauded when he says “Kashmiri culture is Hindu culture” and promises his listeners that they will be able to return to Kashmir soon, saying, “(we) already have a model in the world... if the Israeli people can do it...”

In comments that have come as a huge embarassment to the government, the consul general also purportedly sought to criticise India’s multi-faith culture and outlook. “We in India think about everyone... all faiths and all peoples... We made the strategic blunder, we thought everyone is thinking like us… unfortunately not everybody thinks that way. We should think like everybody else and then only will we beat them at their game,” he says and another round of applause greets his comments contrary to India’s secular Constitution and traditions.

It was not entirely clear who he was referring to as “them”.

Mr Chakravorty is an Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer of the 1996 batch and has previously served as ambassador to Peru and deputy high commissioner to Bangladesh. His reckless remarks have the potential of damaging India’s position on the Kashmir issue despite the fact that the return of Kashmiri Pandits to their own homeland cannot be compared to the settling of Israeli Jews on Palestinian land.  

On Wednesday evening, Mr Chakravorty claimed his remarks had been taken out of context. “I have seen some social media comments on my recent remarks. My remarks are being taken out of context,” he tweeted.

The ministry of external affairs (MEA) maintained silence over the remarks but the incident seems to have caused unease in official circles, especially since the government and the MEA that had advanced a secular argument to the world on why India had revoked Article 370 — which granted J&K special status — in August this year.

The controversy was swiftly seized upon by Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan who accused the Indian government of “fascism”.

“Shows the fascist mindset of the Indian govt’s RSS ideology that has continued the siege of... J&K for over 100 days, subjecting Kashmiris to the worst violation of their human rights while the powerful countries remain silent because of their trading interests,” he tweeted.

The remarks by the senior Indian diplomat could not have come at a worse time for New Delhi in view of Pakistan’s propaganda offensive on the Kashmir issue and considering that a function to mark the International Day of Solidarity with Palestine is scheduled to be held in New Delhi on Thursday in which several Arab envoys are expected to participate.

Israel has built about 140 settlements since its occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem in 1960s. The settlements are widely considered illegal under international law.

A person familiar with the developments claimed that Mr Chakravorty was merely referring to Israelis keeping their culture alive, but no one is buying this argument.

Mr Chakravorty was reportedly addressing a group of Kashmiri Pandits in his living room.  

In the leaked video grabs, the consul general can be heard saying, “I believe the security conditions in J&K will improve, it will allow the refugees to go back. In your lifetime, you will be able to go back. You will be able to visit your villages. You will be able to go back to your homes. Because we already have a model in the world. I don’t know why we don’t follow it. It has happened in the Middle East. If the Israeli people can do it, we can also do it. We have to push our leadership to do that. Otherwise what is the use?”

Mr Chakravorty adds, “You have to go beyond the reasoning and understand why it was done. Someone spoke about the Jewish issue and the Israel issue. They kept the culture alive for 2000 years outside their land. We all have to keep Kashmiri culture alive. The Kashmiri culture is Indian culture, it is Hindu culture. I feel as much Kashmiri as anybody else. None of us can imagine an India without Kashmir. (names a person)... said that in India, we think about all faiths… unfortunately, not everyone thinks that way... We should start thinking like others. And then only we will be able to beat them at their game. That thinking is now coming.”

Mr Chakravorty also said, “The Kashmir issue is being dragged into the UN Human Rights Council, US Congress. Why don’t (these agencies) go to other places? Go to Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan. Why do you want to come to India? They are not liking that we are asserting ourselves and I believe that, in my lifetime, we will have our land back, our people have to go back. Because not everyone can live in the United States. Our Kashmiri brothers are living in refugee camps, in Jammu and Delhi. They are living on the streets. Let them go back to their houses and you (Pandits) will not go back because of fear of your lives. But that (fear) will go away. Give us some time. The government has done what it has done. Such a big international risk is not taken by any government just to do an amendment. Today we ran the risk of international opprobrium. It was an international diplomatic struggle. We have successfully stalled it… Give some time, you will see what is going to happen.”