India raises Pak lobbying, 13 extradition cases during bilateral meet with UK immigration minister
There have been efforts by groups in UK led by Pakistanis to initiate a dialogue on Kashmir including accusing India of excesses.
India pitched for putting an end to lobbying by Pakistani groups with British parliamentarians to influence the discourse on Kashmir and gathering support for the cause during a bilateral meeting in New Delhi on Monday, said government officials privy to the discussions.
New Delhi also urged UK to ignore propaganda on minorities being targeted in India calling it a “bogey” to put pressure on the government.
India also took up the pending extradition cases of 13 individuals including liquor baron Vijay Mallya, businessman Lalit Modi who was the first Chairman of the Indian Premier League and cricket bookie Sanjeev Chawla wanted in a in a match fixing scandal being probed by Delhi Police .
Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju communicated India’s stand to his counterpart Minister of State for Immigration Brandon Lewis as well as concerns on the continuing anti-India propaganda carried out by Kashmiri and Sikh extremists in the UK that bear “serious repercussions on India’s sovereignty.”
“It was communicated that they should not allow their territory to be used by Kashmiri and Khalistani separatists,” said a government official privy to the talks.
There have been efforts by groups in UK led by Pakistanis to initiate a dialogue on Kashmir including accusing India of excesses. There have also been debates in the British Parliament on the issue.