UK MP's 'who will speak for Kashmir' letter to voters on Eid faces backlash

Conservative MP Marco Longhi has faced backlash from the opposition after he wrote a public letter urging the British Pakistani community in Dudley North to vote for him in the UK polls, highlighting how he always condemned India's "illegal actions in Kashmir".

The UK goes to the polls on July 4, where the Conservative Party led by Rishi Sunak faces a litmus test.

In his letter on the occassion of Eid al-Adha, Longhi underscored how he has been at the forefront of speaking against the Indian government's "atrocities" towards the people of Kashmir and asks, "Who will speak for Kashmir in Parliament?"

India has remained firm on its stance that Jammu and Kashmir, along with Ladakh, are integral and inalienable parts of India.

"Recently we have seen (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi's BJP being re-elected in India. This means there will be even tougher times for the people of Kashmir in the coming months," the letter stated.

"Narendra Modi made it clear recently that he is going for a full statehood for Kashmir which would mean full removal of any sovereign rights of the Kashmiris and their special status," it further said.

Appealing to the voters to elect him over the Labour Party's candidate, Longhi pledged that he would raise his voice for Kashmir in the Parliament even more.

Hitting out at the Conservative Party leader, Rajesh Agrawal of the Labour Party called the letter a "shameful attempt to divide communities" that was offensive to both Muslim and Hindu communities.

"There should be zero tolerance of the dog-whistle politics Longhi is engaged in," Agrawal, the Labour parliamentary candidate in Leicester East, said.

"Rishi Sunak should put country before party and immediately remove his party's support for Longhi's campaign and apologise for attempting to alienate British Indians," he tweeted.