British MEP has invite to Kashmir withdrawn; question marks over who sent invite
Liberal Democrat MEP for North West England Chris Davies was invited to go to Kashmir this week, alongside the 27 MEPs currently there.
TOI has seen the email correspondence between a mystery woman named Madi Sharma of the Madi Group and Davies. On October 7, 2019 she wrote to him promising a “prestigious VIP meeting” with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 28, a visit to Kashmir on October 29, and a press conference.
On October 8, Davies replied saying he was happy to accept, on the condition that he was free to go wherever he wishes, and talk to whoever I wish “unaccompanied by military, police or security forces but accompanied by journalists”. He asked for a guarantee in writing. The following day, Sharma wrote: “It is our responsibility to make sure that you are protected… armed groups operate in the region so a little security may be necessary but I am sure they will not hinder your work.”
On October 10 she emailed him to say the trip was full and cancelled a meeting with him.
Sharma’s website describes her as an “entrepreneur who founded and runs the Madi Group, a group of international private profit making companies, social enterprises and not for profit organisations”.
In her invite, she said she also runs the Women’s Economic and Social Think Tank which “works in South Asia on the empowerment of women”.
“The visit will be of a small group of cross-party, pan-European politicians on a three-day visit,” the invitation said and the flight and accommodation would be sponsored by the International Institute for Non-Aligned Studies.
The website for that mystery Delhi-headquartered organisation, with offices across the world, claims its goal is to “project and highlight the convictions of the peoples of the Non-aligned World” through lectures, research projects and conferences.
“It’s odd the invite did not come through the embassy of India in Brussels. I don’t know if the other MEPs got invited by the same organisation,” Davies told TOI.
“I have no idea why I was invited as I spoke at a debate on Kashmir in the European Parliament in September and I was very critical of the government of India. Most of the MEPs on the trip are united by a degree of hostility towards Muslims. I was surprised to get the invite, but not surprised it was withdrawn,” Davies said.
“The trip sounded like government propaganda to me,” he added. “What is it that the Indian government has to hide? If they were hoping to show everything is calm, they failed the test in my view,” Davies said.
Davies said a significant number of his constituents are from PoK and a few are from Srinagar. “They are all talking to me about communications difficulties in Kashmir and (that they) cannot contact their families. I don’t think this is the way to win over people by oppressing them and curbing their liberties. That is not going to lead to a peaceful settlement,” the MEP said.
“I have no idea who Madi Sharma is, or the organisation that was sponsoring the trips. I assume one of them is funded by the Indian government,” he added.
A spokesman for the Indian high commission in London said: “We are not aware that Chris Davies’ name was considered for this trip. We don’t know if he was officially invited. The trip was organised by the Indian mission in Brussels, not us. They were given the mandate. I don’t know who Madi Sharma is. But of course you cannot go to Kashmir on your own. It is India’s responsibility to ensure the safety and security of anyone who goes to Kashmir.”
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References
- ^ European Parliament (timesofindia.indiatimes.com)
- ^ Srinagar (www.happytrips.com)
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