Foreign minister S Jaishankar cancelled a meeting with senior members of the US Congress this week after American lawmakers refused New Delhi’s demands to exclude a congresswoman who has criticised the Indian government’s policies in Kashmir, The Washington Post reported, citing congressional aides familiar with the matter.

The report was referring to US Representative Pramila Jayapal. Jayapal, an Indian-American, had introduced earlier this month a Congressional resolution urging India to end the restrictions on communications in Jammu and Kashmir “as swiftly as possible and preserve religious freedom for all residents”.

The paper reported that Jaishankar, during his visit to Washington this week, was to meet the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Rep. Eliot L. Engel; the committee’s top Republican, Rep. Michael McCaul and others, including Jayapal. Indian officials told the committee that Jaishankar would not meet with the lawmakers if they included Jayapal. Engel refused, The Washington Post said and the Indians pulled out.

This was also confirmed by Jayapal to The Washington Post.

News agency ANI quoted Jaishankar as saying he did not want to meet Jayapal.