New York Assembly passes resolution; February 5th to be Kashmir American Day

The New York State Assembly has passed a resolution calling on Governor Andrew Cuomo to declare February 5th as 'Kashmir American Day'.

"The Kashmiri community has survived adversity, persevered, and established itself as one of the pillars of New York immigrant communities," states the resolution sponsored by Assembly Member Nader Sayegh and 12 other legislators.

The resolution, promising that New York State will strive to achieve human rights, including freedom of religion, movement and expression, for all Kashmiri people enshrined in the US Constitution by recognizing their diverse cultural, ethnic and religious identities, has perturbed India slightly. Indian officials have noted with "concern" the attempts by "vested interests" to "misrepresent" Jammu and Kashmir's rich, cultural and social mosaic and thereby split apart people.

Averring that J&K shall remain an incredible part of India, a spokesperson of Indian Embassy in Washington observed the resolution as an attempt to misrepresent the rich cultural and social mosaic of Jammu and Kashmir. Meanwhile, Pakistan's Consulate General in New York acknowledged Nader Sayegh and The American Pakistani Advocacy Group's role towards the adoption of the resolution, adding to the attempt of Pakistan to gather international support against India for withdrawing Jammu and Kashmir's special status. However, India terming this as an internal issue has firmly told Pakistan that the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir shall continue to be an integral part of India.