Gurminder Randhawa, however, parroted the Indian government’s stand that Kashmir is an internal matter of India. Indian expat and UK Labour Party Member of Parliament Virendra Sharma, too, asserted that Kashmir is an internal matter of India. Kamal Dhaliwal, president of the Indian Overseas Congress UK, Sudhakar Goud, spokesperson of the Indian Overseas Congress UK, and Gurminder Randhawa, secretary of the Indian Overseas Congress UK met Corbyn.

London: The Congress party is in a soup yet again, this time over the Kashmir issue. A delegation from the grand old party met the Leader of UK’s Labour Party Jeremy Corbyn to discuss ‘human rights situation’ in Kashmir.

The issue triggered a massive row in India after Corbyn shared a picture on social media platform Twitter that had Kamal Dhaliwal, president of the Indian Overseas Congress UK, Sudhakar Goud, spokesperson of the Indian Overseas Congress UK, and Gurminder Randhawa, secretary of the Indian Overseas Congress UK.

“A very productive meeting with UK representatives from the Indian Congress Party where we discussed the human rights situation in Kashmir. There must be a de-escalation and an end to the cycle of violence and fear which has plagued the region for so long,” Corbyn said in his tweet.

However, when Times Now reached out to Randhawa, he parroted the Indian government’s stand that Kashmir is an internal matter of India. “Kashmir issue is an internal matter of India, no one has the right to get involved in it,” he said.

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s overseas president Vijay Chauthaiwale said it would have been better had the Congress delegation taken representatives of the Indian High Commission in London in confidence before resorting to such a step.

“It would have been better if they had taken the Indian High Commission in London into confidence before taking such a major step. It also shows that this delegation had a mandate from their bosses in Delhi to go and meet Jeremy Corbyn,” Chauthaiwale said.

Indian expat and UK Labour Party Member of Parliament Virendra Sharma, too, asserted that Kashmir is an internal matter of India. “Kashmir is an internal matter of India. We have no right to interfere in India’s internal matter,” he told Times Now.

The BJP in India hit out at the Congress and called it “appalling”. “Appalling! Congress owes it to the people of India to explain what its leaders are telling foreign leaders about India. India will give a befitting reply to Congress for these shameful shenanigans!” BJP said in a tweet.

Jammu and Kashmir have been on partial lock down after the Indian government abrogated Article 370 of the Indian Constitution on August 5. While several separatist leaders in the Valley have been on preventive detention, communication channels in the state have been under clampdown to prevent a law and order situation.