A Kashmiri cultural organisation has marked Jammu & Kashmir Accession Day in the House of Commons, asserting that the region’s 1947 accession to India remains a decisive historical and constitutional act.
The event, hosted on Armistice Day by Conservative MP Bob Blackman, was organised by the Kashmiri Pandit Heritage Foundation UK (KPHF UK). Blackman displayed his own copy of the original Instrument of Accession signed by Maharaja Hari Singh in 1947 and reiterated his support for what he described as the “legal sovereignty” of India over the region. He also said British Kashmiris should feel empowered to assert their cultural and historical identity.
A briefing distributed to MPs stated that the accession is “a lawful, settled constitutional fact and not subject to revisionist reinterpretation,” according to the organisers.
Attendees also observed Armistice Day, paying tribute to soldiers who fought in the World Wars, as well as those who defended the region in the aftermath of partition.
The group used the occasion to criticise some UK-based Mirpuri organisations, claiming they misrepresent themselves as Kashmiris and promote “distorted narratives.” KPHF UK said it would continue to challenge what it views as cultural appropriation and disinformation that “erase indigenous Kashmiri voices.”
Parliamentary recognition of the day was highlighted through Early Day Motion 2150, tabled by Blackman, which acknowledges the significance of Accession Day for British residents of Jammu and Kashmiri heritage. The EDM is listed in the UK Parliament’s official records.
For further information or speaker requests, KPHF UK directed enquiries to kpheritagefoundation@gmail.com.
