Congress MP, SP MLA Downplay Viral Spat In Saharanpur Meeting

Congress MP Imran Masood and Samajwadi Party MLA Ashu Malik were involved in a heated verbal exchange during a public meeting in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh. The disagreement reportedly occurred during a District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committee meeting chaired by Masood. A video of the exchange circulated online, prompting the Congress MP to clarify that the argument was a routine disagreement between elected representatives and should not be viewed as a major dispute.

The exchange began after Masood objected to interruptions during the meeting and asked speakers to follow the established procedure. In the video, the Congress MP is heard telling Malik not to interrupt and to seek permission from the Chair before raising a question. Malik responded by questioning why another person was speaking when the matter being discussed was his question. The disagreement then continued over whether the meeting was being conducted according to the rules.

Masood, who was chairing the meeting, stressed that the proceedings would be conducted according to the prescribed rules. Malik appeared to contest that assertion, saying that the meeting was not being conducted according to the rules. The exchange remained verbal, with both leaders putting forward their positions over how participants should speak and raise issues during the meeting.

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After the video gained attention, Masood played down the incident and said such disagreements were common during meetings involving elected representatives. He explained that every representative had their own issues to raise and that, as chairperson, it was his responsibility to ensure that everyone received an opportunity to speak. Masood maintained that there was nothing more significant behind the exchange and sought to prevent the incident from being portrayed as a larger political dispute.

Malik also described the episode as routine and said public representatives often want to put forward their views during official meetings. He said disagreements over proceedings can occur and should not automatically be treated as controversies. According to Malik, the participants had simply discussed the appropriate manner in which the meeting should be conducted, after which the proceedings continued.

The clarification from both leaders indicates that neither wants the incident to escalate into a broader political confrontation. Although the video showed a tense exchange between the Congress MP and the Samajwadi Party MLA, both subsequently characterised it as a normal disagreement during an official meeting. The incident has nevertheless attracted attention after the video circulated online, highlighting the occasional clashes that can occur between elected representatives while discussing local and administrative issues.

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