US Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders criticised India over #Kashmir while attending Islamic Society of North America’s Convention (ISNA) in Houston, Texas, US on August 31. Sanders asked the US government to “speak out boldly” in support of a UN-backed peaceful resolution to resolve the issue. “I am deeply concerned about the situation in Kashmir,” he added.
This comes nothing surprising because ISNA is dominated by Pakistanis and their sympathizers. Hours after Sanders’ speech, Pakistan PM Imran Khan addressed the same convention via a video conference, where he repeated his fabricated rants against India. According to excerpts of Imran’s speech available on a Pakistani Radio website, “the current Indian regime is a staunch follower of RSS, an ideology born out of hatred and Hindu supremacy. The organization was established in 1925 after getting inspiration from fascist and racist based philosophies of Adolph Hitler and Benito Mussolini.”
While Imran was making his fancy speech, his Foreign Minister was claiming that India was preparing to deploy Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh goons in occupied Kashmir to carry massacres in the valley.
Coming to Bernie Sanders, his hatred of India is not new. 10 years ago, he had voted against signing the famous nuclear deal with India. He is mainly known for ignoring India, as if we don’t exist.
If he gets elected in 2020, it might mean turning the clock by 25 years and getting to a time when both countries ignored each other. A self imposed isolationist policy from the US will not allow for long term deals.
Sanders has been traditionally fighting H1B visas – one of the main pillars of trade between US and India. He has lambasted tech companies for hiring visa holders at the same time they’re cutting other staffers. Not to mention, his major campaign contributors are Trade unions.
India has repeatedly informed US, that any issues between India and Pakistan are purely bilateral and no 3rd party interference shall be allowed. Recently when President Donald Trump offered to meditate, India lodged a strong protest to the US Government. As a result, Trump retracted his comments within few days.
77 year old Sanders, who lost the Presidential campaign in 2016 is again hoping for it in 2020. However, considering his extreme left views he is unlikely to gain support of anyone other than left-liberal ecosystem and the Pakistani-American diaspora.
He has been a leftist ideologue and a big fan of socialist USSR. After a 1988 trip to the USSR, Bernie Sanders & his wife Jane heavily praised the Soviet system.