6 From House Foreign Relations Committee Demand Answers From Indian Government

Six members of the US Congress House Foreign Relations Committee have written to the Indian ambassador to the US, Harsh Vardhan Shringla, asking some tough questions and seeking clarifications about the situation in Kashmir following restrictions ahead of the revocation of Article 370 of the Indian Constitution in August.

Questions asked:

• Has 100% of landline service been restored inside Jammu and Kashmir, or are there any remaining outages?
• When will all mobile phone service be restored, including those who use prepaid mobile phones?
• When will full internet access be restored (not just access at kiosks)?”

• How many people detained under the Public Safety Act or other legal provisions since August 5? Of those, how many are minors?
• What is the standard judicial procedure for someone detained under the Public Safety Act?” they asked.

• What is the status of the curfews that have been imposed in Jammu and Kashmir?
• What are the government’s plans to allow residents to return to uninhibited movement?
• When can we expect?” 
• Please lay out the reasons that foreign journalists are still not allowed inside Jammu and Kashmir?
• When will they be allowed to enter the region?
• Will the Indian Government welcome visiting members of the United States Congress or other foreign officials who wish to visit Jammu and Kashmir?

This letter was signed by David Cicilline, Dina Titus, Andy Levin, Susan Wild, Chrissy Houlahan, and James McGovern. These lawmakers were not let in, yet handpicked right-wing MPs were flown in on a private junket by a little known thinktank – they met PM Modi and saw the shuttered streets of Kashmir.

Thank Rep Susan  Wild of Pennsylvania https://www.freekashmir.org/actions/connect-with-representative-susan-wild/

Thank Rep David Cicilline of Rhode Islandhttps://www.freekashmir.org/actions/call-rep-david-cicilline-from-rhode-island/

Thank Andy Levin of Michigan https://www.freekashmir.org/actions/connect-with-representative-andy-levin/ 

Thank  Rep Chrissy Houlahan https://www.freekashmir.org/actions/connect-with-representative-chrissy-houlahan/ 

Thank James McGovern https://www.freekashmir.org/actions/thank-rep-james-govern/

Action item:

Thousands of missing Kashmiri boys still need our help. Please do what you can by:

• Signing the petition to free the 13,000 boys taken by the Indian Army.
• Please continue supporting the daily actions on the Free Kashmir website (www.freekashmir.org).
• Follow #FreeKashmir for updates on additional action and activism opportunities.