The parliamentarians are on a private visit, not sent by EU

In a debate in the European Parliament on September 17, two politicians, Ryszard Czarnecki of the Polish Prawo i Sprawiedliwość (the Law and Justice Party) and Fulvio Martusciello of Italy’s Forza Italia, backed the Indian government on the abrogation of Jammu and Kashmir's special status. “We need to look at terrorist acts that took place in India, Jammu and Kashmir. These terrorists didn't land from the moon. They were coming from the neighbouring country. We should support India,” Czarnecki said.

Britain’s Right-wing Brexit party is anti-EU and was formed early this year and has 29 MEPs even though its main goal is to exit the EU.

From Belgium, Tom Vandendriessche far-Right Vlaams Belang Party has been attempting to move from the extreme right to a more centrist position and which stands for Flemish nationalism and opposes multiculturalism.

Italy’s Lega Party has moved to the right in recent years and takes a strong stand against illegal immigration, especially from Muslim countries.

For months the Indian government has refused foreign journalists and diplomats entry into Kashmir. On October 3, US Congressman Chris Van Hollen’s request for a visit to Srinagar was declined. UN special rapporteurs at the human rights council said in their statements that request to visit Kashmir was turned down.



Opposition lawmakers in Delhi protested today when news broke that the European parliamentarians would visit Kashmir. Congress leaders Shashi Tharoor and Jairam Ramesh called it an insult to the Indian parliament and democracy. Party spokesperson Anand Sharma said the party would raise the issue in Parliament as the government decision violates the collective privileges of Indian MPs.

“This stand of the government is self-defeating and contradicts its consistent position that JK is India's internal matter. Is this the new version of Indian nationalism?” he asked.