Sent Her Back ‘Badi Izzat Se’: MEA on British MP Debbie Abrahams

Abrahams was denied entry into India at New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport on Monday.

UK MP Debbie Abrahams has questioned whether she was deported from India because she has been critical of the Indian government on the situation in Kashmir.

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

Responding to a question about Debbie Abrahams, a British lawmaker who was denied entry into India, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said she came to India without a valid visa and was sent back 'badi izzat se' (respectfully).

“She came here without a valid visa so we sent her back ‘badi izzat se’ from Delhi Airport. We believe that her statements and ideology are anti-India. There is a sustained campaign from her side against India.”

Raveesh Kumar, MEA spokesperson

Abrahams, chair of the All Party Parliamentary Kashmir Group (APPKG) in the British House of Commons, was denied entry in India at New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport on Monday, 17 February. The Indian High Commission in the United Kingdom said she did not hold a valid visa.

'Not Anti-India or Pro-Pak': Abrahams in Islamabad

Debbie Abrahams visited Pakistan on Wednesday, 19 February, and said that she hoped India will respond to evaluating the human rights situation in Kashmir the way Pakistan has, Dawn reported.

At a joint press conference held on Wednesday in Islamabad with Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, she welcomed the foreign minister’s stand on having a third UN report issued on human rights violations along both the sides of the LoC.

"I hope India will reciprocate as well,” she said.

A team of the APPKG was supposed to go to both sides of the LoC to check the human rights situation in the area.

“But I have had no responses to my requests for a delegation to go to Jammu & Kashmir. I hope India will take the opportunity to reflect on Pakistan’s approach to addressing the issues that it has faced in different parts of the country and how they are responding to the report from the UN and take the opportunity to become more open.”

British MP Debbie Abrahams

Abrahams further said that APPKG is a pro-human rights group and not “anti-India” or “pro-Pakistan” group.

On being questioned about the measures that the group plans to take regarding the human rights situation in the Valley, she said, "Please don’t be under any illusion we are not doing that. Last week, I met with the British foreign minister and I know my Conservative colleagues who are part of this delegation will also be reporting back to their parties.”

“What is going on in Jammu & Kashmir has not gone unnoticed. We are not here for a sightseeing trip, to look at what is happening and to do nothing. We are constantly raising this. We hope in addition to what we are doing through our government, the international community as a whole will realise that human rights is a priority and that priorities are not just about trade.”

British MP Debbie Abrahams

Also, Pakistan’s foreign minister said that the Kashmir issue was not an "internal matter" as is being claimed by the Indian government on multiple occasions.

"It was answered very well by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres [during his visit to Pakistan] when he categorically said that the Security Council resolutions are as relevant now as they used to be before. It is an internationally recognised dispute and the UN chief endorses that. He also said that he is concerned about human rights violations." said Qureshi.

(With inputs from Hindustan Times, Dawn)