‘Don’t Interfere’: India Rejects Turkish President Erdogan's Comments On Kashmir

Rejecting all references made by the Turkish President on Jammu and Kashmir, India asked the Turkish leadership to “develop proper understanding of facts including threat of terrorism emanating from Pakistan”.

India on Saturday criticised Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's comments on Kashmir and asked him not to interfere in India's internal affairs.

New Delhi: India on Saturday criticised Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's comments on Kashmir and asked him not to interfere in India's internal affairs. Rejecting all references made by the Turkish President on Jammu and Kashmir, India asked the Turkish leadership to “develop proper understanding of facts including threat of terrorism emanating from Pakistan”. In an address at Pakistan's Parliament on Friday, Erdogan compared "the struggle of Kashmiri people with that of fight by Turkish people against foreign domination during the World War I". "Our Kashmiri brothers and sisters have suffered from inconveniences for decades and these sufferings have become graver due to unilateral steps taken in recent times," Erdogan said, apparently referring to India revoking the special status of Jammu and Kashmir in August last year. The Turkish President, in his address, likened the "struggle" of the Kashmiris with that of his country in the World War I against foreign domination. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar in reference to Erdogan's comments on Jammu and Kashmir said, "India rejects all references to Jammu and Kashmir, which is an integral and inalienable part of India." "We call upon the Turkish leadership not to interfere in India's internal affairs and develop a proper understanding of the facts, including the grave threat posed by terrorism emanating from Pakistan to India and the region," he said. Watch | Don't interfere in internal affairs: India slam Turkey on Kashmir (with inputs from agencies)