SRINAGAR: The 23-member delegation of EU lawmakers blamed Pakistan on Wednesday for terrorism in India. Wrapping up their two-day Kashmir visit, they said the nullification of Article 370 was India’s “internal matter” and that they stood by India in its fight against terrorism.

Predominantly from far-right parties, they said on the last day of Jammu and Kashmir’s existence as a state that terrorism was a “severe problem” in Kashmir. The state of Jammu & Kashmir ceases to be a state, making way for two new Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

The organisers of the EU MPs’ Kashmir visit had invited a select group of journalists to a press briefing, including the editors of three lesser-known local newspapers. Only a few of these journalists were allowed to put questions to four EU MPs — Bill Newton Dunn from the UK, Henri Malosse from France, Ryszard Czarnecki from Poland, and Thierry Mariani from France.

Only three of the 23 EU MPs belonged to Left or liberal parties.

“If we talk about Article 370, it is India’s internal matter. What concerns us is terrorism, which is a global menace and we should stand with India in fighting it,” Henri Malosse of France told the select group of journalists at Srinagar ’s Old Airfield at Rangreth at the conclusion of their visit.

The EU lawmakers said they interacted with the youth, politicians, women and traders during their two-day stay in Kashmir, adding that it was the “beginning of their engagement” with civil society there.

“We are here to get information. The situation is not as bad as we thought. People here want peace, a better life and better vocations, and they want jobs. Terrorism has destroyed such dreams,” they said.

The EU MPs, while regretting the killing of six labourers from West Bengal by militants in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district on Tuesday evening, said “terrorism is a severe problem in Kashmir” and named Pakistan as its source.

Newton Dunn of the UK said they belong to Europe which is now peaceful after years of fighting. “And we want to see India becoming the most peaceful country in the world. And for that, we need to stand by India in its fight against global terrorism. This visit has been an eye-opener and we would definitely advocate what we have seen at ground zero,” he said.

Referring to the details provided to them by the Indian Army and the police, Dunn said, “Most terrorists killed in J&K have come from abroad. In fact, they came from Pakistan. It is an international problem. All protests should be directed against terrorism.”

Ryszard Czarnecki, an EU MP from Poland, said, “The international media coverage (on Kashmir) seems to be biased. Once we go back to our countries we will inform them of what we saw.”

The EU MPs also criticised Pakistan for violence against the Christian community there. “We trust in freedom of religion. We are worried about the situation of Christians in Pakistan,” they said while mentioning the case of Aasiya Bibi.

An EU MP from Britain said the UK faced the big problem of Northern Ireland where Christians were fighting Christians. “Fighting is not a solution. India has a long procedure of talks, agreeing to talk and listening to each other. It is for talks that Northern Ireland is a peaceful place now. My advice is talk and don’t fight,” the EU MP from Britain said.

“We were told that there is too much corruption in Indian Kashmir. Money which comes from the central government does not reach projects and seems to disappear somewhere in the system,” the European lawmakers said. They added that they would invite people to visit Kashmir but that would require safe conditions. “The first condition is to fight terrorism in this part of India,” they said.

