Indian students protest against Oxford Union’s Kashmir debate

LONDON: A group of Indian students chanted slogans and displayed placards at the University of Oxford to protest against a debate on Kashmir at the Oxford Union Society, which they said had offered a platform to speakers with alleged terrorism links.

‘This House Believes in an Independent State of Kashmir’ at the historic Oxford University institution on Thursday evening included Zafar Khan, connected to the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), and Muzzammil Ayub Thakur, associated with World Kashmir Freedom Movement, speaking in favour of the motion.

In March this year, India extended for another five years a ban on JKLF, led by imprisoned terror accused Yasin Malik.

Chants of ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ and ‘Oxford Union stands with terrorism’ could be heard during the protests.

Indian Oxford Union member Aadarsh Mishra intervened during the debate saying, “JKLF is a terrorist organisation.”

According to a video shared on X by community organisation Insight UK, which was among the groups supporting the protest led by Indian students at the university, Mishra can be heard saying: “I do not trust this house and I have launched a ‘no confidence motion’ against the president (of the Oxford Union)” and termed him as “nothing but a stooge of ISI and Pakistan.”

Oxford Union was approached for comment on Thursday’s development but there was no immediate reaction.

Indian diaspora organisations had rallied against the debate, with the Oxford Hindu Society among those issuing formal letters to the Oxford Union to call off the event.

“It is pertinent to note that both these speakers have been involved in anti-Hindu hatred and are representing organisations which have links to hatred against Hindu minority in the UK as well as in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir in India,” reads the Oxford Hindu Society letter.

“Hindu students feel threatened and disgusted that Oxford Union has invited an official of JKLF – which has a record of attacking Hindus,” it adds.

Insight UK’s letter to the Oxford Union read: “The Kashmir region has been a target of terrorism for decades, causing the forced exodus of thousands of Kashmiri Hindus and creating untold suffering. Kashmir is recognised internationally as an integral part of India, and any debate questioning this is a challenge to India’s sovereignty.

“The speakers invited to support the motion, Muzzammil Ayyub Thakur and Zafar Khan, have alleged ties to groups involved in violent extremism and terrorist activities under the disguise of separatist movements.”

India has always maintained that the entire Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and the Union Territory of Ladakh have been, are and will always remain integral and inalienable parts of India.

As an independent, student-led society with a membership primarily drawn from the University of Oxford, the Oxford Union dates back to 1823 as one of the world’s leading debating societies. (PTI)