Members of the Indian diaspora in France, along with friends of India, took to the streets in large numbers to demonstrate outside the Pakistan embassy in Paris to demand peace in Kashmir.
The protest was organised on October 22 to mark the 75th year of the invasion of Kashmir by Pakistan in 1947. The protest demonstration was led by elected representatives of Indian origin from local governments of cities near the Paris region as well as members of various Indian diaspora associations.
The elected representatives who spoke at the occasion were Selva Annamale, Municipal Councillor from the city of Montmagny and Freddy Patter, Municipal Councillor of the city of Eragny. Both called on Pakistan to stop exporting terror to Kashmir.
Similarly, the demonstrators condemned Pakistan for its continued policy of disrupting peace in Kashmir and spreading Islamist radicalism in the region. They also displayed posters on the timeline of Pakistan’s invasion of Kashmir, and its attempts to obstruct development activities in the Kashmir region.
Speakers highlighted the fast-paced development activities undertaken in the Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. Indian and French flags were flown on the occasion and the national anthem of both countries were sung.
October 22 is observed as the Pak Army-backed Tribal invasion in Jammu and Kashmir in 1947. The intervening night of October 21-22, 1947 is considered the “Black Day” in the history of JK, which left a grim mark on the fate of the region.
The tribal invasion of October 22, known as Operation Gulmarg, resulted in the death of thousands of innocent people and changed the course of Jammu and Kashmir’s history.
United Kashmir People’s National Party (UKPNP) organised protests in PoK and other parts of the world to mark Oct 22 as “Black Day.”
Protests were held around the world against the tribal invasion, looting, and massacre of state residents on October 22, 1947, which is the basis for the partition of the state of Jammu and Kashmir.
Demonstrations were held worldwide, including the capital Muzaffarabad, in Europe, Britain, the United States and North America.