Srinagar, May 26, KNT: Senior BJP leader Nishikant Dubey has stirred a political row by sharing a declassified 1963 telegram from the U.S. State Department, claiming that former Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru were behind efforts to cede key territories in Jammu and Kashmir to Pakistan under international pressure.
Dubey, in a post on social media platform X, accused the Congress party of compromising national interests. “After the illegal occupation of Kashmir by Pakistan in 1948, talks continued between 1962 and 1964 under U.S. and British mediation. Swaran Singh from India and Zulfikar Ali Bhutto from Pakistan held regular meetings. India had, according to this document, already agreed to return the territories forcibly occupied by Pakistan in Poonch and Uri,” Dubey wrote.
He further alleged that the Indian leadership was ready to redraw the boundary and accept the entire Neelum and Kishanganga valley in Gurez as the international border along the Line of Control.
The telegram, dated February 9, 1963, outlines discussions that took place in Karachi and was addressed to the U.S. Secretary of State. It reveals how, under Cold War diplomatic pressure, India considered making substantial territorial compromises. While Pakistan pushed for a state-wide plebiscite in Jammu and Kashmir, India resisted, fearing a loss of strategic regions.
The document reflects U.S. concerns over India’s approach, warning that deviation from agreed frameworks could heighten tensions and result in a prolonged stalemate. [KNT]
