India has taken strong exception to Pakistan raising the issue of Kashmir at the UN, calling Islamabad's reference to Jammu and Kashmir at the world body a blatant attempt to divert attention from its dismal record of Human Rights in “Pakistan occupied Kashmir.

In a General Assembly debate on 'Right of peoples to self-determination', Pakistani delegate Marghoob Salim Butt said the “struggle” of the people of Jammu and Kashmir continues and the state's residents want their voice to be heard; their aspirations respected; pledges to them honoured.

Strongly rejecting the unwarranted reference by Pakistan, visiting Member of Parliament Annu Tandon asserted that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India. Ms Tandon added that the people of Jammu and Kashmir have chosen and reaffirmed their destiny repeatedly through India’s well established democratic processes and free, fair and open elections have been regularly held in the Jammu and Kashmir.

She called on the Pakistani delegation to refrain from using the UN forum to detract from the cause of rights to self-determination, particularly of the Palestinian people.