New Delhi: A major argument broke out between India and Pakistan delegates inside the Maldives Parliament on Sunday after Pakistani delegates raised the Kashmir issue on a forum that was on sustainable development goal and the hapless speaker of Maldivian Parliament Mohamed Nasheed was left trying to control the situation in vain.
Maldives Parliament was hosting the fourth south Asian speakers summit on achieving the sustainable development goal with India being represented by Harivansh Narayan Singh, Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Pakistan by Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Qasim Suri and Pakistan Senator Qurat ul Ain Marri.
"We cannot ignore the situation of Kashmiris who are facing oppression, They are facing injustice "Qasim Suri, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly said in his remarks drawing a strong reaction from India.
Harivansh Narayan Singh said, "We strongly object to raising of the internal matter of India in this forum. We also reject the politicisation of the forum by raising issues which are extraneous to the theme of the summit."
Calling Pakistan to "end cross border terrorism and all kinds of state support to the same", Singh said this need to be done "in the interest of regional peace and stability. Terrorism is the biggest threat to the entire humanity in the world today. This forum and summit is meant to discuss SDGs".
After which Paksitani Senator Qurat ul Ain Marri responded by saying, "SDGs for women and youth, nothing can be achieved without human rights. The atrocities being meted out on Kashmiris..", however, was interrupted by Maldives' Speaker Nasheed.
India's Deputy Speaker responded to her by saying, "A country that perpetrated a genocide of its own people "has no moral right" to speak.
An angry Marri tried to interrupt Singh's speech who continued to speak. Marri said, "Pakistan is not a purveyor of terror" to which Deputy Speaker said this meet is for SDG discussion.
The speaker of the Maldives Parliament had to scream multiple times to maintain civility but the ruckus continued for a considerable time and then he announced lunch break.
