BJP protests Kashmir post in British high commission

The Bharatiya Janata Party has protested against the creation of a new post by the British high commission in New Delhi to deal with Kashmir affairs separately. This amounted to ''delinking the state of Jammu and Kashmir from the Union of India,'' said party vice-president K L Sharma, MP.

Sharma said it was for the first time that the British government has initiated such a step, adding, ''It is an exceptional move and unnecessary step.''

The BJP has demanded that the external affairs ministry seek an explanation from the British mission and the foreign office, adding that the high commission's move was ''a breach of propriety.''

In protest, BJP leaders will boycott the invitation extended by the counsellor (political affairs) of the British high commission to meet Sarah Tiffin, first secretary (foreign policy and Kashmir) on April 12.

Sharma said Tiffin's posting implied that the British high commission has decided to deal with Kashmir as a ''separate entity and not as a part of the Union of India''.

''This is a gross violation of India's territorial integrity and an unacceptable diplomatic offensive by a foreign mission based in this country,'' he said, adding that it was ''tantamount to insulting the host nation and interfering in India's internal affairs.''

Sharma wanted the external affairs ministry to make it clear that the British cannot have a separate diplomat posted in India to deal with Kashmir affairs as distinctly separate from India affairs.

''The ministry of external affairs owes an explanation as to whether it is aware of the new post created by the British high commission and if yes, why it has not taken up the matter so far,'' the BJP leader added.

A spokesman of the external affairs ministry expressed surprise at the British high commission creating such a designation.

This, he said, ''smacked of a certain ignorance of the situation in India and sensitivity of the subject in South Asia.''