Russia supports India, says changes in Jammu and Kashmir done within framework of Constitution

Days after the Centre bifurcated Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories (UT) and scrapped Article 370, Russia asked India and Pakistan to not allow the situation to aggravate in the region. The Rusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) on Friday, in response to queries, said that the abrogation of Article 370 and bifurcation was "carried out within the framework of the Indian Constitution".

Reiterating that it is a consistent supporter to the normalisation of relations between India and Pakistan, Moscow said the differences should be resolved by political and diplomatic means on a bilateral basis. 

"Moscow expects that India and Pakistan will not allow aggravation of the situation in the region due to the change by Delhi in the status of the state of Jammu and Kashmir. We proceed from fact that the changes associated with the change in the status of the state of Jammu and Kashmir and its division into two union territories are carried out within the framework of the Constitution of the Republic of India. We hope that the parties involved will not allow a new aggravation of the situation in the region as a result of the decisions," said the Russian MoFA.

"Russia is a consistent supporter of the normalization of relations between India and Pakistan. We hope that the differences between them will be resolved by political and diplomatic means on a bilateral basis in accordance with the provisions of the Simla Agreement of 1972 and the Lahore Declaration of 1999," added the Russian MoFA.

The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 bifurcates the Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories (UT), to be known as the UT of Ladakh and UT of Jammu and Kashmir. It was passed by the Parliament in the recently concluded first session of the 17th Lok Sabha to bifurcate the state into two Union Territories - Jammu and Kashmir with an assembly and Ladakh without one.

The Bill was passed in the Parliament on Tuesday with the Lok Sabha giving its nod after a little over seven hours discussion. It was passed in the Rajya Sabha on Monday.