Sydney, Australia: A small group of protesters in Sydney has called on Indian prime minister Narendra Modi to end conflict in the disputed territory of Kashmir.
Outside New South Wales Parliament the protesters, from the Kashmir Council of Australia, said Narendra Modi had his priorities wrong.
“We want a peaceful settlement of the dispute so that the region could progress,” the council’s founder Mumtaz Mian said.
The mountainous region of Kashmir, home to about 14 million people, has been divided between India and Pakistan since the countries won their independence from Britain in 1947. The region is currently controlled by Indian and Pakistan; and a Line of Control marks the boundary of control.
Protesters outside NSW Parliament raised concerns about the Indian prime minister’s political agenda
Mumtaz Mian also urged NSW Premier Mike Baird to raise the issue of poverty with the Indian leader, saying Narendra Modi should be investing in education and health, not nuclear weapons or space exploration.
“He’s promoting a space race now, sending rockets to the moon and other planets,” Mumtaz Mian said.
“He’s also spending on nuclear weapons; basically they’re building mass murder machines with money that should be diverted to fight against poverty and disease.”
Mumtaz Mian outlined his concerns in a letter to the Speaker of the NSW Parliament, Shelley Hancock.