"speakers with alleged links to terrorism is particularly alarming"
Indian students led a protest outside the Oxford Union, the debating society at Oxford University, over a debate about Kashmir.
The debate was titled This House Believes in the Independent State of Kashmir.
Protesters chanted slogans such as:
“It is known far and wide, Oxford Union stands on terrorists’ side.”
Demonstrations were held due to the inclusion of two speakers with alleged links to extremism.
At the debate, Dr Muzzamil Ayyub Thakur and Professor Zafar Khan, Chairman of the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front’s (JKLF) Diplomatic Bureau, were speakers.
The protest followed a letter by Insight UK that raised concerns.
In a letter, Insight UK alleged: “Muzammil is the president of the ‘World Kashmir Freedom Movement’, which, along with another organisation called ‘Mercy Universal’, was founded by his father and investigated by Scotland Yard, the Charity Commission and the FBI for ties with terrorists.”
Insight UK also claimed Zafar Khan was associated with a group known for violence against the Kashmiri Hindu community.
The JKLF had also been involved in acts such as the kidnapping and killing of Indian diplomat Ravindra Mhatre in the UK back in 1984, they said in the letter.
??BREAKING??
Indian students protest infront
of the Oxford Union.
Cries of “It is known far and wide, Oxford Union stands on terrorists side”.#OxfordUnion pic.twitter.com/N1oeIvrHLn— INSIGHT UK (@INSIGHTUK2) November 14, 2024
Confirming a letter had been sent, the UK-based group tweeted:
“We have sent a formal letter to Oxford Union expressing deep concerns over their decision to host the debate.
“The invitation of speakers with alleged links to terrorism is particularly alarming and raises serious questions about the integrity of this debate.”
In addition to the protest, one Indian student condemned the debate inside the Oxford Union.
He criticised Oxford Union president Ebrahim Osman-Mowafy, claiming he is a “stooge of ISI and Pakistan”.
The student added that a “no-confidence motion” had been launched against the president by several Union members, citing a loss of trust in his ability to lead the prestigious debating society.
pic.twitter.com/BY0GL2QHDA
Brave Indian student at @OxfordUnion intervened during the debate and reminded the barbarity committed by #JKLF members not only on Indian but on British soil too.
Kudos to the students who came together to move a no confidence movement against the…— Gayatri ????(BharatKiBeti) (@changu311) November 14, 2024
Meanwhile, Prem Shankar Jha, a former media advisor to ex-Prime Minister VP Singh with extensive experience at the United Nations and the World Bank, along with Yusuf Kundgol and Siddhant Nagrath opposed the motion.
Defending the debate, the Oxford Union said:
“The Kashmir question, a parting gift of British colonial rule, has troubled the subcontinent since 1947, resulting in multiple wars.”
“The continued push for Kashmiri independence has sustained a long-standing struggle, rooted in the region’s quest for self-determination and autonomy.
“This has led to persistent unrest, human rights concerns, and renewed demand for autonomy among the Kashmiris.
“While nuclear-armed neighbours vie for control and geopolitical influence, the desire for peace among the population remains strong.
“Could an independent Kashmir be the answer to this enduring crisis?”
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