Dr. Abu Mahdi said, “The United States and the Zionists have sought influence in India and Pakistan since 1888 until today and are aware of Kashmir’s strategic position in the region.” RNA – An academic conference entitled “Developments in the Indian Subcontinent with an Emphasis on the Kashmir Issue” was hosted by Rasa News Agency at the headquarters of the news agency in Qom.
Speaking at the conference, Dr. Abu Mahdi, a political expert on Kashmir, said, “The Kashmir issue goes back to 1947. Jammu and Kashmir was a princely state of the British Empire in India from 1846 until 1947. In 1947, Kashmir was divided between India and Pakistan and the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir acceded to India. In 1950, Article 370 of the Constitution of India was drafted. Jammu and Kashmir was an autonomous region and had its own prime minister, flag etc. as an autonomous state but international affairs, financial affairs and the army were under India’s control such that even the Indian government wasn’t allowed to enter the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly.”
The scholar continued, “Alongside Article 370, there was an article named Article 35A which was added in 1954. This article stipulated that, for example, only the permanent residents of Jammu and Kashmir had the right to buy land in Kashmir and that a Kashmiri woman could only marry a Kashmiri man.”
He said, “Israel and Saudi Arabia have conspired with India against the people of Kashmir and even Turkey was involved. The United States and the Zionists have sought influence in India and Pakistan since 1888 until today and are aware of Kashmir’s strategic position in the region.”
Dr. Abu Mahdi stressed, “Because of its location on the border with China, Kashmir enjoys a very good strategic location for the United States to be able to dominate the region by establishing itself in the region and on the other hand, Kashmir has a lot of resources and wealth.”
His Eminence added, “The people of Kashmir are also revolutionary people such that if they feel that Saudi Arabia is trying to bully Iran, they will come to the streets in support of the Islamic Republic of Iran and on the other hand, the culture of Iran and Kashmir is very close. Taken together, all of these factors have made Kashmir a sensitive area for the United States and Israel.”
Rasa News Agency
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