(Image source from: The Wire)

For quite some time now media is seen focusing on the situation in Jammu and Kashmir after the revocation of its special status. Accordingly, some sections of American media, especially the liberal media, is centered on a perspective on Kashmir that has been "pushed forward" by those who are "inimical" to India's interest, India’s ambassador to the United States has said.  

Harsh Vardhan Shringla said India’s move to revoke Jammu and Kashmir's special status and bifurcate it into Union territories was done for the benefit of the people.

Calling Article 370 an anachronistic provision that was stifling the economy and encouraging the inflow of Pakistani terrorism, the top Indian diplomat in an interview to PTI, said:

Unfortunately, some of the media in the United States - particularly the liberal media - have, for reasons of their own, chosen not to provide this perspective, which is very important.

Instead (they have) focused on a perspective that has been pushed forward by those who are inimical to our interest,” he said.

Shringla said he and the Indian Embassy in Washington, D.C. had started a massive outreach to the members of the United States Congress, senators and the think-tank community about the factual positions on India.

The recent changes in Kashmir, according to the India Ambassador would bring change for the better and in the interests of the residents of Jammu and Kashmir. It will help them get rights that have been denied to them for many decades.

That is the point of view that we are trying to bring across," said Shringla. Early this week, he posted a lengthy video on YouTube to reflect on the "real reasons" for changes in the status of Jammu and Kashmir.

As we go along, this perspective - with the restoration of services, more than 90 per cent of Jammu and Kashmir being free of any restrictions without any violence, without any shot being fired - are important signals to the international community that a lot is being done in a manner that is in the best interest of the people of Jammu and Kashmir," he said.

A top Kashmir-American body ‘Kashmiri Overseas Association’ recently alleged that propaganda-mongers and ill-informed press are disseminating misinformation and confusion about the revocation of Article 370 and 35A.

By Sowmya Sangam