Pakistan has rejected Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘preposterous and fallacious’ claim of ‘democracy’ in occupied Kashmir after the so-called local body elections.

“RSS-BJP brand of ‘democracy’ only means muzzling of Kashmiri voice & will under bayonets of Indian army guns. The ‘new chapter’ that RSS-BJP regime is writing in IIOJK is one marked by brutal military siege since 5 Aug & egregious HR violations,” the Foreign Office spokesman said in a statement.

“Rather than resort to diversions & obfuscations, India should end its illegal occupation & meet its obligation of holding a plebiscite allowing the Kashmiris to exercise their right of self-determination as enshrined in the relevant UN Security Council resolutions,” the statement added.

Rather than resort to diversions & obfuscations, India should end its illegal occupation & meet its obligation of holding a plebiscite allowing the Kashmiris to exercise their right of self-determination as enshrined in the relevant @UN Security Council resolutions. 2/2

Advertisement

— Spokesperson 🇵🇰 MoFA (@ForeignOfficePk) December 26, 2020

The district council elections, which ended this week, were the first in occupied Kashmir since the Modi government revoked its special status last year.

On Saturday, the Indian government arrested at least 75 political leaders and activists in Occupied Kashmir on charges of spreading political unrest following the victory of a coalition of regional political parties in the local elections.

Earlier, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi slammed his country’s opposition, saying “holding peaceful elections in occupied Kashmir is a mirror for those who teach me a lesson in a democracy every day.”

According to the Hindustan Times, Narendra Modi’s statement came in response to a statement by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who said that there was no democracy in India.

According to the Times of India, in his address, the Indian Prime Minister also said that the ‘transparent’ elections in occupied Kashmir and the participation of the people in it is an opportunity for India to be proud.

Reacting to Narendra Modi’s address, the Foreign Office spokesman said, “Kashmiris have been deprived of their basic rights through siege since August 5, 2019. The worst human rights violations are taking place in the occupied valley and the Kashmiri people are facing innumerable sufferings.”

“Such false claims by India cannot stifle the voice of the people of occupied Kashmir nor divert the attention of the international community, while these false claims cannot divert attention from the inalienable right of Kashmiris to self-determination,” he said.

The statement said that instead of confusing the issues, India should end its illegal occupation of occupied Kashmir and give the Kashmiri people the right to vote in accordance with UN resolutions.