Taking up Kashmir at United Nations a diplomatic failure: Congress

New Delhi, Aug 16 (IANS) The Congress on Friday said that the internationalization of the abrogation of Article 370 at the United Nations was a major "diplomatic failure" for the Indian government.

The Congress said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government should break their silence and immediately demand the cancellation of the UN Security Council meeting as changing the law on one's own land was an internal matter for the country.

Addressing a press conference, Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi said: "Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are an integral part of India. This is a non-negotiable issue."

He said the event in the United Nations had shocked the entire nation and "we view it as a matter of grave concern".

"In last 65-66 years, it is for the first time that issue of Kashmir is being internationalized at UNSC," the MP said.

"This is a very big diplomatic failure of the government and a grave strategic failure for India."

Slamming the government, Singhvi said: "The Indian External Affairs Minister (S. Jaishankar) was in China and explaining them about the government's decision while China on the other hand approached the UNSC for the meeting.

"And the Chinese government gets the meeting organised on the request of Pakistan," he said.

Asking the Prime Minister to break his silence and ask the UNSC to cancel the meeting, Singhvi said: "The Prime Minister must implore and get the meeting cancelled. It is a not a discussable issue."