SOURCE: PTI
“Sankalp Divas” event was hosted in the Houses of Parliament complex here by the Jammu and Kashmir Study Centre UK (JKSC), a think-tank dedicated to J&K research, to commemorate a historic resolution related to the Indian Union territory.
The event on Tuesday marked the unanimous resolution passed by both Houses of the Indian Parliament on February 22, 1994, reaffirming India’s unwavering stance that the entire region of Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India. It emphasised India’s right to reclaim Mirpur-Muzaffarabad and Gilgit and Baltistan, areas that fell victim to Pakistani aggression.
“All the parliamentarians expressed their appreciation for the shared insights and encouraged the continuation of such events to unveil the ground realities of Jammu and Kashmir, a perspective often absent from the mainstream narrative. They stressed the importance of ongoing interactions on this subject,” JKSC UK said in a statement.
The event attracted a cross-party presence, including Conservative Party MPs Bob Blackman and Theresa Villiers and Labour Party MP Virendra Sharma. The keynote speakers were Professor Sajjad Raja from Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (POJK) who is currently residing in exile in Britain and Kashmiri activist Yana Mir, currently working as a Senior Anchor with Bharat Express News Network.
Mir also received the Diversity Ambassador Award for championing diversity in the J&K region. She outlined progress in the region following the abrogation of Article 370, emphasising improved security, government initiatives, and funds allocation. JKSC UK said the event aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of the socio-cultural and political landscape of Jammu and Kashmir, underscoring the diverse multicultural, multireligious and multi-linguistic nature of the state.
“The event culminated on a note of optimism, with participants expressing a palpable enthusiasm for further delving into the intricacies of the Jammu and Kashmir region. JKSC UK fervently encouraged attendees to actively engage in forthcoming discussions, emphasising the pivotal role of countering misinformation to foster a well-informed public discourse concerning the region,” the think tank added.