EALING Southall MP, Virendra Sharma has written to the Director General of the BBC urging action following a controversial map that was published by the BBC World Service.

The map in question concerns the regions of Jammu and Kashmir, an area that has been strongly disputed between India, Pakistan and China for decades.

Writing in his letter the Labour MP said: "To represent Jammu and Kashmir as anything less than Indian is deeply insulting to millions of Indians living here in the UK and in India.

"The BBC World Service is a fantastic resource, an amazing part of our soft-power and a real force for good around the world, this record is under threat if the World Service is perceived as partisan and 'anti-India' as is currently being asserted online."

Mr Sharma, who is also Chair of the Parliamentary group on India urged the Director General to withdraw the map and prevent this happening again.

He said: "This graphic is withdrawn and republished with correct boundaries, and that action is taken to prevent this happening again.

"I would also like to know what editorial guidelines exist on this, and for you to ensure that they represent the situation fairly and responsibly with Jammu and Kashmir as a fundamental and integral part of India."