In response to a Security Council discussion on children and armed conflict, India criticised Pakistan for its "politically-motivated" and "venomous" comments regarding Jammu and Kashmir, claiming that people who are steeped in bigotry will find it difficult to comprehend a pluralistic society.
At the UN Security Council open debate on children and armed conflict, which was held during the UK's month-long presidency, counsellor in India's Permanent Mission to the UN Ashish Sharma responded sharply after Pakistan's UN envoy Munir Akram made reference to Jammu and Kashmir in his statement.
Akram said that it was an anomaly that the latest report of UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Children and Armed Conflict does not include India. “Let me also respond to the politically-motivated and frivolous remarks made by one delegation against my country. I will not dignify their venomous comments on India by responding to those, since those who are soaked in bigotry will find it hard to understand a pluralistic society,” Sharma said.
Sharma said India dismisses and condemns “these frivolous remarks” with the contempt that they deserve. “It is nothing but an attempt to divert the attention of the Council from grave violations against children that continues to be committed in Pakistan, as highlighted in the Secretary General’s report,” Sharma said.
He asserted that the entire Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh “were, are and always will be an integral and inalienable part of India, irrespective of what the representative of Pakistan believes or wishes.”