Mr (Birmingham, Perry Barr)
(Lab): On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. Will you guide me
on how I can place on the record an inaccuracy in the question from
the hon. Member for Harrow East () to the Prime Minister? He
stated that the demonstration on Kashmir on 27 October has
deliberately been held to be in line with Diwali. It has not: 26
October is the day when India occupied the free state of Kashmir in
1947—that is historically correct.
The hon. Gentleman also mentioned—as my hon. Friend mentions from
the Front Bench—Pakistan being involved in this demonstration. As
far as I am aware, a huge number of constituents across the
country, including my constituents from Kashmir and of Kashmiri
origin, are organising this on their behalf with the Sikh
community and with a number of people, including Muslims from the
Indian community and from other countries across the world, so it
is not Pakistan—it is all sorts of people who believe in human
rights and civil liberties, which are not being upheld for the
Kashmiri community in Kashmir at the moment.
Madam Deputy Speaker: I thank the hon. Gentleman for his point of
order, but it is an attempt to correct the facts as he sees them.
I can make no judgment on which of these facts that have been
mentioned, either at the Dispatch Box or by him, are correct. It
is not for me to make such a judgment, but he has taken the
opportunity to correct the record. I am sure that if he wrote
formally to the relevant Minister his points would be taken very
seriously. He has put them very courteously.
