Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday hit out at Congress leaderRahul Gandhi questioning what he called the party’s move to discuss internal issues with foreign leaders. The attack comes a day after the UK representatives of the Indian Overseas Congress (IOC) discussed the Kashmir situation with Britain’s Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn.“Kamal Dhaliwal -Overseas Congress Chief, close to Rahul Gandhi, met Jeremy Corbyn and said situation not normal in Kashmir. I want to ask Rahul Gandhi, what does yourparty want to do by discussing matters of country with foreign leaders?” Shahsaid at an election rally in poll-bound Maharashtra’s Muldhana.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had also on attacked theCongress for what it called “shameful shenanigans”. The party also sought anexplanation from the Congress on the meeting during which both sides discussedthe human rights situation in the valley after the August 5 revocation ofArticle 370 that accorded special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

After the meeting, Corbyn had tweeted “A very productivemeeting with UK representatives from the Indian Congress Party where wediscussed the human rights situation in Kashmir. There must be a de-escalationand an end to the cycle of violence and fear which has plagued the region forso long.”

This provoked a sharp response from the BJP. “Appalling!@INCIndia owes it to the people of India to explain what its leaders aretelling foreign leaders about India. India will give a befitting reply toCongress for these shameful shenanigans!” the party tweeted. The Congress hitback, accusing the BJP of making “malicious statements” to distract the peoplefrom its failures.

The IOC claimed it had met Corbyn to condemn the Kashmirresolution passed by his party pm September 26 at its annual party conferencein Brighton, and reiterate that J&K is an internal matter. “Our meetingwith Jeremy Corbyn was held to condemn the Kashmir resolution passed by hisparty and to reiterate that J&K is an internal matter and outside interventionwill not be accepted. BJP’s malicious statements are another attempt todistract people from their failures,” the IOC tweeted.

Corbyn on his part also downplayed the Labour Party’sresolution on Jammu and Kashmir following anger in the Indian community in theUK. In a letter to the Labour Friends of India – a lobby group within theLabour party – he admitted that “some of the language” used in the resolutionwas open to misinterpretation, insisting that he understood the concerns in the1.5 million-strong Indian community here.

“The emergency motion on Kashmir came through as part of thedemocratic process of the Labour party conference… “However, there is arecognition that some of the language used within it could be misinterpreted ashostile to India and the Indian Diaspora. Labour understands the concerns theIndian community in Britain has about the situation in Kashmir and takes theseconcerns very seriously”, he said.