DIAC using wrong Indian MAP

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A wrong has been righted in DIAC India map matter. Thank you, Australian Govt!

I have a good news which I want to share with everyone who loves India and Australia, just as much as we do.

We raised the matter involving an incorrect map of India in DIAC [Dept of Immigration and citizenship] website.

See this post for details of this matter. http://tinyurl.com/3oxh9pg

We also wrote to Australian Foreign Affairs minister, Mr Kevin Rudd and Immigration minister, Mr Chris Bowen, under whose ministry, DIAC operates.

We also wrote to Indian High commissioner in Canberra and Consul General of India, Sydney.

Social media-Twitter and Facebook- were used to generate awareness. We do have access to Australian top political leaders via our social media outlets.

As this NDTV report suggests, the incorrect map is going to be removed from DIAC website. http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/no-j-k-arunachal-pradesh-in-oz-map-of-india-111792

Council of Indian Australians[ www.cia.org.au ] and myself are really proud of ourselves. We are also proud of our friends for being involved in this campaign. Genuine thanks are due to Australian Govt authorities for acting quickly in a matter which was causing a serious concern to Indian Australians, and [I guess] to India.

A wrong has been righted, and we are proud to be a part of the campaign to get it done.

Finally, this re-enforces my views that Australia is a great nation.

Yadu Singh/Sydney/13rd June, 2011

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DIAC Australia has India’s incorrect map, which should be rectified!

I have been made aware of a map, which DIAC [Dept of Immigration and Citizenship] Australia has put in its website. It excludes Jammu & Kashmir [J&K] from Indian map. J&K appears to be shown as a part of Pakistan.

Even Arunachal Pradesh appears to be shown outside India.

See the Link here.

http://www.immi.gov.au/media/statistics/country-profiles/_pdf/india.pdf

This is wrong and objectionable, and should be rectified.

Jammu & Kashmir is an integral, inseparable and inalienable part of India and will always remain so.

Let me remind those who do not know the relevant history. J&K became an inalienable part of India on 25th October, 1947 when King of J&K, Maharaja Hari Singh, signed the “Instrument of accession” with India. This Instrument was executed between India’s then Governor-General, Lord Louis Mountbatten, and Maharaja Hari Singh on 27th October, 1947. All rulers of States and Kingdoms in India were entitled to choose one of three options- join India, join Pakistan or remain independent-at the time of Indian independence in 1947.

J&K joined India in 1947.

Pakistan came into being on 14th Aug, 1947, and it celebrates its Independence day on 14th August.

India celebrates its Independence Day on 15th August.

Here is the Link for more details.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jammu_and_Kashmir

Maharaja Hari Singh’s Kingdom of Jammu & Kashmir obviously joined India. The Maharaja made the correct choice. He was a smart King. J&K is part of the progressive, prosperous, secular, multicultural and democratic India.

India and Indians will never allow anyone to undo what was done by Maharaja Hari Singh in 1947. Terrorism and unrest supported from across the border will never succeed.

I also want to see that something serious is done to facilitate return of Kashmiri Pundits [KPs] back to Kashmir, from where they were forced to go into exile in other parts of India. KPs are living in exile in their own country. I and millions of Indians feel for the plight of KPs.

It would be helpful if relevant parties have a proper geographical and historical knowledge in these matters.

LOC [line of Control] in J&K, depicting what is happening on the ground, can be shown, just as UNDP Map does. Arunachal Pradesh is clearly an Indian territory and Governed by India.

My view is that DIAC India map is a genuine oversight, and can be fixed easily. I don’t think even for a minute that it has been done deliberately or done with malafide intension.

Yadu Singh/Sydney/09th June, 2011

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PS: DIAC had removed the map within days after this post. See the subsequent post in this Blog. Yadu Singh/25th Sept, 2011