Indian surgeons' body slams 'Lancet' for publishing controversial article on J-K

Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], Aug 20 (ANI): The Association of Surgeons of India (ASI) on Tuesday condemned the prestigious medical journal -- Lancet -- which on August 17 carried an article titled 'Fear and uncertainty around Kashmir future.'
In the letter to Richard Horton, Editor-in-Chief of Lancet, the ASI has said: "At the very outset, on behalf of the ASI, which is Asia pacific's largest and world's second-largest surgical association that represents the surgical fraternity all across India, we strongly condemn the Editorial Board of 'Lancet' for having approved the publication of the editorial -- 'Fear and uncertainty around Kashmir future,' which featured on 17th August 2019 in Lancet."
"The contents of the editorial are factually incorrect, politically motivated, prejudiced, unsubstantiated and downright racist. We question the stand that the Journal has taken on this most sensitive issue, where neither the author nor the Editorial Board of 'Lancet' has an insight regarding the background and circumstances that led the Narendra Modi led Government of India to take the bold decision to revoke Article 370," the letter reads.
The letter further adds: "Kashmir is an integral part of India and 'Lancet' has no business to comment on a political issue and a political decision that concerns an internal matter concerning the Republic of India."
"The editorial is totally out of context and has been written in a bad taste, which has hurt the feelings of billions of Indians living world over," says the letter.
"We demand an immediate withdrawal of the editorial from the online version of the journal and an unconditional apology from the Editorial Board to be printed prominently in the next issue of the journal," the ASI further states in the letter. (ANI)