Malwinder Singh Mali adviser to PCC president Navjot Singh Sidhu, sparked controversy when he claimed that Kashmir was a separate country.
He also mentioned that both India and Pakistan were illegal occupants.
The recently appointed advisor to Navjot Sidhu also mentioned in his Facebook posts that he was against revocation of the special status and autonomy granted under Article 370 of the Constitution to Jammu and Kashmir.
“Kashmir belongs to Kashmiris. Going against the tenets of the UNO resolutions, India and Pakistan have illegally usurped the Kashmir territory. If Kashmir was a part of India then what was the need to have Articles 370 and 35-A. What was the special agreement with King Hari Singh? Tell people what were the terms of the agreement,” Mali said in his recent posts on Facebook.
In a tweet, Malwinder Singh Mali wrote, “Kashmir is a separate country and India and Pakistan are illegal occupants. It belongs to the people of Kashmir.”
The tweet has attracted criticism from various quarters, both within and outside the Congress party.
Talking to The Tribune, Mali stood by his statement and said: “How can Articles 370 and 35A be repealed when the matter is still pending in the Supreme Court?”
Meanwhile, BJP general secretary Dr Subhash Sharma has written to Sidhu, asking him whether he agreed with the Mali’s statement on Kashmir. “We ask for immediate action against the adviser,” he said. The PPCC chief could not be contacted despite repeated efforts.