New York Assembly resolution marks February 5th as "Kashmir American Day"

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

The Assembly's move has been met with the ire of Indian officials, citing their "concern" with regards to the attempts being made by "vested interests" to misrepresent Jammu and Kashmir's rich socio-cultural heritage.

Furthermore, the New York State Assembly lauded the Kashmiri diaspora in the country for "overcoming numerous odds", with the resolution adding that the “Kashmiri community has overcome adversity, shown perseverance and established themselves as one of the pillars of the New York immigrant communities".

The resolution also stated that "the State of New York endeavours to champion human rights including the freedom of religion, movement and expression for all Kashmiri people, which are embedded within the US Constitution, through the recognition of diverse cultural, ethnic and religious identities".

A statement from the Indian Embassy in Washington commented that "We have seen the New York Assembly Resolution regarding Kashmir American Day. Like the US, India is a vibrant democracy and the pluralistic ethos of 1.35 billion people are a matter of pride. India celebrates its diversity and rich cultural mosaic, including in Jammu and Kashmir, which is an integral and inalienable part of India".

In a tweet, Pakistan’s Consulate General in New York acknowledged the role of the American Pakistani Advocacy Group towards the adoption of the resolution.

Pakistan has been trying to drum up international support against India after Article-370 was abrogated in Jammu and Kashmir on August 5, 2019.

India has also consistently told the international community that the scrapping of Article-370 of the Constitution was an internal matter.