India has urged Turkey not to interfere in the country’s internal affairs after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan made a disparaging statement on Kashmir during his visit to Pakistan. On February 15, Mr Erdogan compared the situation in Kashmir with the Gallipoli campaign of World War II. The Turkish leader also termed India’s recent actions in Kashmir as unilateral.
“We call upon the Turkish leadership to not interfere in India’s internal affairs and develop a proper understanding of the facts, including the grave threat posed by terrorism emanating from Pakistan to India and the region,” said Raveesh Kumar, the spokesperson of India’s Ministry of External Affairs.
After the Indian government revoked Article 370 that ended the special status to Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan, Turkey, and Malaysia have been vocal critics of the decision. The state has been divided into three Union territories to provide better administration of the areas, which had been reeling under unequal development. Mr Erdogan’s remarks coincided with the first anniversary of the Pulwama suicide blasts in Jammu and Kashmir in which 40 jawans of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were killed. The attacks were carried out by the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM). It was the second time in four months that India had criticized Turkey over the latter’s Kashmir activism. On the earlier occasion, it censured Turkish’s military action in Syria, stating that the unilateral action would undermine the fight against terrorism and jeopardize the stability of the region.
