India rejects Pakistan's marking of Kashmir 2019 revocation

India on Wednesday firmly rejected Pakistan's diplomatic observance of the anniversary of Jammu and Kashmir's constitutional reorganization, dismissing it as a "political absurdity" and a propaganda effort. The statement from the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, came in response to comments from Pakistan's Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar, who had said India's 2019 actions had complicated regional peace efforts.

Jaiswal asserted that the constitutional changes enacted on August 5, 2019, which revoked the special status of the former state under Article 370 and bifurcated it into the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, are strictly an internal Indian matter. He reiterated India's longstanding position that these territories are an integral and inalienable part of the country. The spokesperson stated that the changes have led to unprecedented socioeconomic development, improved governance, and democratic empowerment for the region's residents.

The Indian response accused Pakistan of using the annual observance, known as Youme-Istehsal or "Day of Exploitation," to spread malicious propaganda. Jaiswal argued that Pakistan's "desperate attempts to...