India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj on May.2 gave a sharp retort to Pakistan UN envoy Munir Akram's by saying that Islamabad harbours a “most dubious track record” on all aspects of peacekeeping.
Akram had made references to the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, the Ram temple in Ayodhya and Kashmir during his address at the 'Culture of Peace' meeting at the UN General Assembly.
“One final point…in this Assembly, as we endeavour to cultivate a culture of peace amid these challenging times, our focus remains steadfast on constructive dialogue. We thus choose to set aside the remarks from a certain delegation, which not only lack decorum but also detract from our collective efforts due to their destructive and pernicious nature,” Kamboj said.
“We would strongly encourage that delegation to align with the central principles of respect and diplomacy that must always guide our discussions. Or is that too much to ask of a country that harbours a most dubious track record on all aspects in itself?” she added.
Kamboj further implored on global geopolitical tensions based on religion or beliefs, saying "We are particularly concerned by the escalating attacks on sacred sites, including churches, monasteries, gurudwaras, mosques, temples and synagogues."
“It is crucial that our discussions therefore forthrightly address these issues, resisting political expediencies. We must tackle these challenges directly and ensure that they are central to our policy, dialogues and international engagements,” explained Kamboj.
The UN representative also spoke on how India had been a refuge for people from various faiths during times of crisis in the past.
“India is not only the birthplace of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism, but also a stronghold for Islam, Judaism, Christianity and Zoroastrianism. It has historically been a refuge for persecuted faiths, illustrating its long-standing embrace of diversity,” she said.
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