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Mind Your Own Business: BJP, Congress Tell Pakistan Over Pandit Resettlement In Kashmir

Mind Your Own Business: BJP, Congress Tell Pakistan Over Pandit Resettlement In Kashmir
Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif attends a news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel after a meeting at the chancellery in Berlin, Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2014. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)
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Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif attends a news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel after a meeting at the chancellery in Berlin, Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2014. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

NEW DELHI -- On Friday, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesman Sambit Patra said Pakistan has no business interfering in India's internal affairs.

"Pakistan has no business interfering in the internal affairs of India. And moreover, Kashmiri Pandits, Muslims, and Sikhs form an integral part of Jammu and Kashmir's demography," Patra told ANI.

Pakistan's Foreign Office spokeswoman Tasnim Aslam had earlier said that any effort to create special townships in Jammu and Kashmir would violate the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council, and added that the people of the state are resisting such change.

"Jammu and Kashmir is a disputed territory. The UN Security Council resolutions have pronounced very clearly on the status of the Jammu and Kashmir. Pending the final settlement through plebiscite, the two countries have administrative responsibilities in the disputed territory. But, there is a very clear direction that there cannot be any demographic change and there cannot be any step which would alter the makeup of the state of Jammu and Kashmir," Aslam said at her regular media briefing on Thursday.

"Any effort to create special and dedicated townships, zones or any other step to alter the demographic composition of Jammu and Kashmir is in violation of UN Security Council resolutions. We have already seen how the people of Jammu and Kashmir are resisting the possibility of such measures," she added.

Congress Party spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi said that Aslam was repeating "old stereotypes."

"I don't think we should pay attention to such people. Pakistan and a lot of Pakistan spokespersons have nothing better to do than to repeat old stereotypes. It is a country which is suffering deeply. It is splintering apart because of the narrow mindedness shown on so many issues," Singhvi said.

"I don't think India should dignify such comments about Kashmir with repeated attention because, our stand is clear and, Pakistan just sounds like a very troubled country which keeps on parroting the same thing without meaning and with no international acceptability," he added.

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