‘How many times do I have to explain this to you?’: MEA Fact Check uses viral meme to reaffirm J&K, Ladakh as integral parts of India
MEA Fact Check reiterated India’s long-standing position that the entire Union Territories of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh are integral parts of the country.
“On repeated lies about the Union Territories of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh, @meaindia says…” (highlighting the American show South Park character meme), the Instagram post read, to express frustration over the constant repetition of the misinformation campaign.
Also read: Pakistan’s decades-old Kashmir story begins to crumble in PoK
ET OnlineThe post further stated: “The entire Union Territories of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh, including the areas currently under illegal and forcible occupation of Pakistan, are integral and inalienable parts of India.”
He added: “The current practice of cosmetic selection is nothing but an attempt to camouflage Pakistan’s illegal occupation and hide gross human rights violations in the region.” Referring to the ongoing unrest in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), the post said, “As we noted recently, the ongoing mass protests in PoJK are the direct result of decades of systemic economic exploitation, denial of fundamental rights and administrative oppression by Islamabad.”
MEA Fact Check also shared the same message about X, reiterating India’s position in response to false claims made by a promoter.
The account claimed: “Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh are not ‘integral parts’ of India; the entire region remains a disputed territory under UN resolutions. AJK enjoys semi-autonomous status with its own elected government and is holding genuine elections, unlike India’s illegal annexation of already occupied IIOJK in 2019 by revoking Article 370. Calling AJK polls ‘cosmetic’ while denying Kashmiris Naming the right to self-determination is sheer hypocrisy. The only occupation by force is on the Indian side of the LoC.”
MEA Fact Check rejected these allegations, reiterating that the entire Union Territories of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh, including the areas under Pakistan’s “illegal and forcible occupation”, are an integral part of India and terming Pakistan’s ongoing election exercise in the region as “cosmetic”.
This rebuttal comes amid reports that several people were killed in firing by security forces during protests demanding basic rights in PoJK’s Rawalakot and Mirpur districts in the last two days.
The demonstrations were held against the denial of human rights to the people of Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
The protests come at a time when the region is witnessing rising tensions during the 52-day protest movement; demonstrators demanded the release of detainees, the withdrawal of cases against protesters, and the acceptance of their broader demands.
Protesters also publicly condemned Pakistani forces’ indiscriminate firing on demonstrators in Rawalakot as thousands prepared to march towards Muzaffarabad after talks between the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) and authorities collapsed on Monday.
JAAC had set a deadline of 1 pm on July 27 for authorities to issue a formal notification accepting their demands, warning that failure to do so would result in thousands of protesters marching from Rawalakot to Muzaffarabad.
Later, thousands of people gathered in Rawalakot and started marching after no agreement could be reached. Thereupon, Pakistani security forces opened fire on the demonstrators in the region.
Eyewitnesses associated with the movement claimed that at least 14 people were killed and nearly two dozen injured during the brutality on Monday evening.
JAAC claimed that the number of people killed had risen to 67 between June 5 and July 28, referred to those killed as “martyrs” and promised that the movement would continue. The claimed death toll has not been independently confirmed.
Protest leaders in PoJK complained that the current electoral process was manipulated to influence results, undermine the will of the people and weaken democratic institutions, and also accused authorities of restricting political opposition through arrests, intimidation and heavy security deployment.
The unrest in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) spread to Mirpur after deadly violence in Rawalakot, with many social media accounts claiming that Pakistani security forces opened fire on civilians during fresh protests.
Amnesty International has called on Pakistani authorities to launch a swift, independent and transparent investigation into reports that security forces used lethal force against protesters in Rawalakot in Pakistan-administered Jammu and Kashmir, saying the reported violence was consistent with a “long-standing history of unlawful violence” against protesters in the region.
