New York, Oct 14: India on Monday labeled Pakistan as “the fountainhead of terror, violence, bigotry, intolerance, and extremism”, calling on it to halt grave and ongoing human rights violations in the part of Kashmir it illegally occupies.
Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly’s Fourth Committee, which deals with decolonisation, N K Premachandran, MP from Kerala and member of the Revolutionary Socialist Party, highlighted recent acts of violence in the region. “As recently as April this year, terrorists trained and sponsored by Pakistan murdered 26 innocent civilians in Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
Premachandran exposed Pakistan’s brutal repression in the illegally occupied areas of Kashmir, noting that locals have been protesting against military occupation, exploitation, and human rights violations. “In the last few weeks alone, Pakistani forces and their proxies have killed many civilians who were agitating for their basic rights and freedoms,” he said, citing over 12 recent deaths.
Responding to Pakistan’s remarks at the committee, Premachandran criticized Islamabad for attempting to deflect attention. “It is ironic that a country infamous across the globe for using terrorism as an instrument of state policy has attempted to cast aspersions on the world’s largest democracy,” he said. He added that Pakistan, with its record of military dictatorships, sham elections, religious extremism, and state-sponsored terrorism, should refrain from moral lectures at the UN.
Premachandran reaffirmed India’s position: “Jammu and Kashmir is, and will always remain an integral and inalienable part of India.”
He also highlighted India’s historic role as a global champion against colonialism, recalling that since the establishment of the UN Decolonisation Committee, India has actively contributed to its functioning. While more than 80 former colonies have gained independence since the UN’s creation, Premachandran noted that 17 territories remain under colonial rule, underscoring that the global struggle against colonialism continues.