India faces an embarassing blow from US Congress Members just days ahead of President Donald Trump’s visit

ISLAMABAD - India faces an embarassing blow from US Congress Members just days ahead of President Donald Trump’s visit.

Just days before President Donald Trump's visit to New Delhi, four US senators have called for an urgent assessment of the Citizenship Amendment Act passed by India and the abrogation of Article 370 in Kashmir.

Senators Lindsey Graham, Chris Van Hollen, Todd Young and Dick Durbin in a letter to the Secretary of State Mike Pompeo pointed out the "troubling actions" of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government and said, “India has now imposed the longest-ever internet shut down by a democracy, disrupting access to medical care, business, and education for seven million people.

Hundreds of Kashmiris remain in 'preventive detention,' including key political figures."

“These actions have severe consequences,” the letter stated.

Last year in December, India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) passed the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), a bill which fast-tracks naturalization of non-Muslim refugees who came to India from neighbouring Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan before 2015.

While the bill covers Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians in the three countries, it excludes Muslims.

Earlier on August 5, the Indian government had revoked the special status of Kashmir, putting the region into lockdown and sending troops to the valley and putting the Muslim majority province under a communication lockdown.