Shobhaa De Denies Ex-Pak Envoy’s Claim of Influencing J&K Article

Abdul Basit claimed that he got Shobhaa De to advocate for plebiscite in J&K after the 2016 killing of Burhan Wani.

Abdul Basit and Shobhaa De.

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

In a video interview that surfaced on Twitter on Monday, 12 August, Former Pakistani envoy to India Abdul Basit claimed that he got prominent socialite-columnist Shobhaa De to advocate for plebiscite in Jammu and Kashmir after the 2016 killing of militant Burhan Wani when the Valley was in turmoil.

Rubbishing the claims, De said she had not even met Basit before January this year, and that too, when he sought a private discussion at the Jaipur Litfest, but was snubbed.

WHAT DID BASIT CLAIM?

In an interview with a Pakistani blogger, Farhan Virk, who calls himself a part of 'Team IK' (Team Imran Khan), the former Pakistani High Commissioner to India says: "We have seen how after the martyrdom of Burhan Wani, the way pellet guns were used, and Kashmir was placed under an economic blockade, Kashmir's economy was destroyed... And there was no one in mainland India who would speak about it.

"It was a challenge for me to convince any journalist to please write an article in the newspaper for Kashmiris' right to self-determination. I finally found a lady journalist, Shobhaa De, who is very prominent. She wrote an article. I met her and made her understand. She wrote at the end of her article, 'Now the time has come to resolve the Kashmir issue once and for all through a plebiscite'."

The article Basit was referring to was written by De on July 17, 2016. It is titled 'Burhan Wani is dead but he'll live on till we find out what Kashmir really wants'.

WHAT DID SHOBHAA DE REPLY?

Reacting to the ex-envoy's sensational claims, De, , said normally she would've let this comment go without bothering to react "but it's very important to nail lies."

"Especially when it comes from a despicable man who is making up a story to discredit not just me but India as well," she said.

Recounting the circumstances of his attempt to meet her, she said that he tried to join a group at a private party at the literature festival, but was snubbed and had to leave in "about three minutes".

“He came and joined a small group, attempted a conversation, was snubbed and was almost as good as asked to leave. In those three minutes he tried to bring in various issues. But the only issue which chased him away was when we mentioned China and that’s the last we saw of him.That’s the first and last time I ever encountered this man. What he is referring to is a column written in 2016. I’d like to place it on record, that what he’s doing is dangerous, malicious and it’s absolutely unfair to anybody who believes in the truth as we all do.”

Shobhaa De

Stressing that she was a "proud and patriotic Indian", she said she had to speak out because the claim was "dangerous, malicious, and unfair to truth".

Basit's comments came in the wake of Pakistan's agitation over India revoking the special status of Jammu and Kashmir, and dividing the state into two union territories - J&K and Ladakh. Pakistan has termed it an act of "annexation" and taken unilateral measures against India, including expelling the Indian envoy, suspending bilateral trade and permanently suspending two cross-border train services and one bus service.

(With inputs from PTI, IANS)