Support for India’s Initiatives in Jammu & Kashmir Increases in US Congress

NEW DELHI: As many as six US Congressmen have spoken out on the floor of the House in support of India’s initiative in Jammu and Kashmir in what would reflect strong support for Delhi’s counter-terror initiatives against cross-border terror.

Congressman Scott Perry (Republican-Pennsylvania) recently made a statement in the House in support of Government of India’s initiative in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). He was the sixth Congressman to support India’s moves in J & K.

This is reflected in the statement in the House where he says, “I stand with India in their aspiration to provide equal economic, social, and political opportunities to all citizens. As part of this pursuit, two-thirds of the Indian Parliament voted last year to change the status of Jammu and Kashmir. This vote allowed the government of India to address the stagnant economy and high youth unemployment plaguing the region by providing economic opportunity and sound governance. The residents of Jammu and Kashmir have battled economic depression and forces of extremism and radicalization for too long. The regional stability now provided by government will give residents of Jammu and Kashmir a better way forward and hope for the future.”

“I rise today to recognize the strong relationship between the United States and India. Since our two countries established diplomatic relations in 1946 through the 2005 launch of our strategic partnership, the United States and India have had a long and storied history. I thank Ambassador Shringla for his friendship and his deep commitment to maintaining our strong US-India alliance. I wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors…”

Perry is a four-term Republican Congressman from Pennsylvania who serves on two important House Committees – Foreign Affairs and Transportation & Infrastructure. By virtue of being part of the Foreign Affairs sub-Committee on Asia and the Pacific, he is a close observer of dynamics in the region and the instability wreaked by state-sponsored terrorism.

On 27 March 2019, he had introduced House Resolution 261 to condemn the Pulwama terrorist attack and stated, “Pakistan has a long history of harboring terrorists and terrorist sympathizers, despite continued American efforts to root out bad actors in the region. Actively choosing lax enforcement has cost innocent lives and emboldens radicals to perpetuate similar attacks. Enough is enough; now’s the time to hold the Pakistani government accountable.” His understanding of the malign influence of Pakistan informs his perspective on the need for the initiative taken by India in J&K.

Another Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Congressman Francis Rooney, who made a statement “recognizing the critical US-India relationship” on 20 November 2019, won his last election from Florida’s 19th district with 62.3% of the vote. He is a 2nd-term Republican Congressman and in his first term, he was Vice-Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee (HFAC). Currently, he is Ranking Member of the Western Hemisphere sub-Committee of HFAC.

In his statement, he had noted, “India faces many regional and geopolitical threats. Islamic insurgents are a constant threat, spreading terror throughout Jammu and Kashmir and elsewhere in India. We should support the government in Delhi in the continued fight against terror.”

Another senior Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, 10th term Republican Congressman Joe Wilson of South Carolina, spoke on the floor of the House on 19 December 2019. He said, “….the Indian Parliament, with multiparty support, voided the constitutional autonomy of Kashmir, supporting the Prime Minister’s efforts to boost economic development, fight corruption, and end gender, caste and religious discrimination.” Congressman Wilson’s perspective is informed by virtue of being Ranking Member of the Middle East, North Africa, and International Terrorism Subcommittee of HFAC. He is also a member of the important House Armed Services Committee. Since the 111th Congress, he has been appointed to the highly influential Republican Policy Committee. He won his last election handily with 56.3% of the vote.

Congressman Pete Olson (Republican-Texas) has been a staunch friend of India. He made a strong statement on the House floor on 20 November 2019 stating, “Earlier this year, the Indian parliament confirmed that Article 370’s temporary status should end. It ended. It gave the people of Jammu-Kashmir the same rights as all Indians. It was a landslide: 125 to 61 in the Rajya Sabha and 370 to 70 in the Lok Sabha. This action creates equality for all Indians.”

Olson’s affinity for India dates back to the time when he was Chief of Staff to Senator John Cornyn (Republican-Texas), co-founder of the Senate India Caucus. His trust and confidence in the India-US strategic partnership has been built over the 12 years that he has been in Congress. As a Representative from Texas, he serves on the important House Energy & Commerce Committee, the oldest standing legislative committee in the U.S. House of Representatives. He is also member of the House Republican Whip team. One of the main reasons for his announcement to not seek re-election is that he faces a challenge from an Indian-American, Sri Preston Kulkarni that has split his traditional Indian-American support.

Paul Gosar, a 5th-term Republican Congressman from Arizona, in a strong statement submitted for the House record on 23 December 2019 recognizing Prime Minister Modi’s efforts to promote peace within Jammu and Kashmir said, “Prime Minister Modi has made it clear that this change was necessary to facilitate peace and economic prosperity. I applaud Prime Minister Modi and the Parliament for their leadership on ensuring the stability of Jammu-Kashmir. Madam Speaker, I would also like to commend the Trump Administration’s continued work with Prime Minister Modi to ensure peace within the region.”

Gosar is Chair of the House Committee on Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources, which is very relevant for the district he represents. The Congressman’s perspective on the threat of radical Islamic terrorism is informed by his work with the Mueller family of Arizona to rescue their daughter Kayla Mueller who was held captive, tortured and killed by ISIS in Syria in 2015. He won his last election by 68.2% of the vote, despite a family feud coming into full public view.

Congressman George Holding (Republican-North Carolina), co-Chair of the House India Caucus and Member of the important House Ways and Means Committee that holds the purse strings of the government, was the first to issue a statement in our support on 31 October 2019. He said, “Article 370 might have worked well for those with political connections, but it denied economic opportunities for the people. It also created a polarizing environment that was exploited politically.” He said further, “The Modi Government had to make a decision on whether to continue with the old policy or to pursue progress by changing the region’s legal status”.

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Image Courtesy: The Denver Post

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