On Thursday, Indian students in the UK held a protest outside the Oxford Union, objecting to a debate titled "This House Believes in the Independent State of Kashmir." Organized by Oxford University's well-known debating society, the discussion addressed the political future of Kashmir—a region that has long been a point of contention between India and Pakistan.

The protest highlighted concerns over the panelists selected by the Oxford Union. Supporting Kashmir’s independence were Dr. Muzzamil Ayyub Thakur, a Kashmiri activist from the Justice Foundation and Kashmir Freedom Movement, and Professor Zafar Khan, head of the Diplomatic Bureau of the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF). Opposing the motion were Prem Shankar Jha, a former media advisor to Prime Minister V.P. Singh with experience at the UN and World Bank, along with Yusuf Kundgol and Siddhant Nagrath.

November 14, 2024

In a post on Instagram, the Oxford Union commented, "The Kashmir question, a legacy of British colonialism, has been a source of strife in the subcontinent since 1947, leading to numerous conflicts. The continuous struggle for Kashmiri autonomy has resulted in prolonged unrest, human rights issues, and demands for self-determination. In a region surrounded by nuclear-armed neighbors, the hope for peace remains strong. Could an independent Kashmir offer a path to ending this long-standing crisis?"

INSIGHT UK, a British Hindu organization, strongly opposed the debate. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), they stated, "We have formally expressed serious concerns to the Oxford Union regarding this event. The invitation extended to speakers with alleged links to terrorism poses serious questions about the event’s credibility."