New Delhi, August 7: Lok Sabha speaker Sumitra Mahajan said on Friday that India will boycott the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association meeting if the speaker of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly is not invited for the meet. The threat is for the benefit of the host country, that is, Pakistan.
The 10 day CPA meet is scheduled to begin on September 30 in Islamabad. Pakistan has excluded Jammu and Kashmir from the meet claiming that the state is a ‘disputed territory’. Also Read: Sumitra Mahajan: No one approached me for revoking MPs’ suspension
“We all (the Chairs of state assemblies) met today and have decided that we will boycott the CPA if Pakistan does not send the invite to J&K,” Ms Mahajan told reporters in Delhi. “Either the venue needs to be changed or we will not attend.”
Stressing on the need for Pakistan to abide by the rules of the organisation, Ms. Mahajan said that either Pakistan extend the invite to Jammu and Kashmir as well, or India will boycott the meet. Her statements were supported by ANI on their Twitter handle.
We’ll inform CPA Chairperson,India region will boycott meeting to be held in Islamabad, if J&K speaker is not invited: Sumitra Mahajan
— ANI (@ANI_news) August 7, 2015
As per rule speaker of country hosting Commonwealth Parliamentary Association meet is supposed to extend invitation to all members:S Mahajan
— ANI (@ANI_news) August 7, 2015
We contacted CPA chairperson as soon as we received information that J&K speaker has not been invited: LS Speaker Sumitra Mahajan
— ANI (@ANI_news) August 7, 2015
CPA’s chairperson had a conversation with Pakistan speaker informing them that invitation should be extended to all members: Sumitra Mahajan
— ANI (@ANI_news) August 7, 2015
We’ve decided either the venue should be changed or India region will not attend the CPA conference: Sumitra Mahajan pic.twitter.com/ahGHJa8mX0
— ANI (@ANI_news) August 7, 2015
External affairs minister Vikas Swaroop also reacted to pakistan’s decision to exclude Jammu and Kashmir speaker from the meet, saying that Pakistan’s decision is a clear violation of the organisation’s constitution.
The unilateral decision of Pakistan in not inviting the J&K CPA Branch to the CPA Conf violates the CPA Constitution. https://t.co/1e2gQMDw72
— Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) August 7, 2015
While the formal head of the CPA is the British monarch, it is the duty of the host country to issue invites for its annual meetings. The Association is an organisation, of British origin, which works to support good governance, democracy and human rights.
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