Launching a frontal attack on Pakistan
nailing its lies and exposing its double-speak on the issue of
terrorism, Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj point blank
demanded the global community to isolate such nations that refuse to be
part of the fight to weed out terrorism from the face of the earth.
She was addressing the UN General Assembly on Monday.
Acknowledging that terrorism was the
biggest violation of human rights, Swaraj exposed Pakistan for
nurturing, peddling and exporting terrorism to neighbouring countries.
A couple of days ago Pakistan Prime
Minister Nawaz Sharif speaking from the same platform had raised the
Kashmir issue. Sharif praised Burhan Wani, the Hizbul Mujahideen
terrorist whose killing triggered the fresh round of violence in
Kashmir.
Without mincing words, Swaraj said that
Jammu-Kashmir was an integral part of India and that Pakistan should
abandon its dream of snatching it.
“Jammu-Kashmir is an integral part of India and Pakistan should not even dream of snatching it from us”, she said.
“Those accusing others of human rights
violations would do well to introspect and see their own egregious
abuses”, Swaraj hinted at Pakistan reminding them that those who live in
glass houses do should not throw stones at others.
The Indian External Affairs Minister
said that there are countries that nurture terrorism, peddle it and
export to other countries, adding “we need to identify them and isolate
them in the interest of global welfare”.
At the very beginning, Swaraj said that
we will be judged by our action and equally by our inaction. What goals
have we achieved and what objectives remain unfulfilled? I would like to
highlight two such pending tasks of this Assembly.
Exposing the hollowness in demand of Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif for
conditional talks, Swaraj explained how India had attempted a paradigm
of friendship in the last two years without precedent. We conveyed Eid
greetings to the Prime Minister of Pakistan, wished success to his
cricket team, extended good wishes for his health and well-being. Did
all this come with pre-conditions attached?
We took the initiative to resolve issues not on the basis of conditions, but on the basis of friendship.
Did we impose any pre-condition before
extending an invitation for the oath-taking ceremony of our government?
Did we impose any pre-condition when I went to Islamabad for the Heart
of Asia conference and agreed to begin the Comprehensive Bilateral
Dialogue? Did we impose any pre-condition when Prime Minister Modi
travelled from Kabul to Lahore? What pre-conditions?
The Prime Minister of Pakistan also said
that India has placed pre-conditions for talks which are not acceptable
to him. What pre-conditions?
And what did we get in return?
Pathankot, Bahadur Ali, and Uri. Bahadur Ali is a terrorist in our
custody, whose confession is a living proof of Pakistan's complicity in
cross-border terror.
“I can only say that those accusing
others of human rights violations would do well to introspect and see
what egregious abuses they are perpetrating in their own country,
including in Balochistan”, she said.
In our midst, there are nations that
still speak the language of terrorism, that nurture it, peddle it and
export it. To shelter terrorists became their calling card. We must
identify these nations and hold them to account. These nations, in which
UN declared terrorists roam freely, lead processions and deliver their
poisonous sermons of hate with impunity, are as culpable as the very
terrorists they harbour. Such countries should have no place in the
comity of nations.
We need to forget our prejudices and
join hands together to script an effective strategy against terror. This
is not an impossible task provided we have the will. We can do it, we
must do it.
Therefore, if we want to defeat
terrorism, there is only one way - that we unite across our differences,
add steel to our resolve and inject urgency in our response.
We will not be able to win against
terrorism by making specious distinctions between your problems and
mine, between terrorists who attack you and those who attack me.
But it is important to ask - who is
behind this and who benefits from it? Terrorists do not own banks or
weapons factories, so let us ask the real question: who finances these
terrorists, who arm them and provide sanctuaries? Terrorism has gone way
beyond affecting individuals or nations - it is a crime against
humanity itself. It targets the innocent and kills indiscriminately.
We must acknowledge that terrorism is undoubtedly the biggest violation of human rights.
However, despite the blood and tears of
innocent victims, attacks this year alone in Kabul and Dhaka, Istanbul
and Mogadishu, Brussels and Bangkok, Paris, Pathankot and Uri as well as
daily barbaric tragedies in Syria and Iraq, remind us that these
malevolent forces are yet to be defeated.
The world has been battling this scourge
for long. We, who have suffered in Uri recently, understand the pain
inflicted by the same forces. Tragically, less than 15 days ago, another
attempt at killing innocents was made through an act of terror in this
same city.
Let me now turn to a subject of the most
critical importance, one which deeply concerns every member of this
Assembly. This month we marked the 15th Anniversary of the 9/11 terror
attacks on this city.
We have decided to submit our Instrument
of Ratification of the Paris Agreement on October 2, the birth
anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi who epitomised a lifestyle with the
smallest carbon footprint.
I assure this Assembly that India will continue to play a leading role in combating climate change.
Our path-breaking initiative for an
International Solar Alliance is intended to make efficient solar
technology available for all.
India has launched an ambitious domestic
effort to transform our energy mix to achieve 40% energy from
non-fossil fuel sources by 2030.
We must treat nature fairly, otherwise, there will be a catastrophe. We have seen this around the world.
The world has enough resources for our
needs but not greed. That's why Prime Minister has suggested the
principle of climate justice.
India is the fastest growing major economy in the world.
We have launched a large programme on
sanitation called Swachh Bharat. Lakhs of toilets have been made in
schools and they are working.
Courtesy: NewsBharati
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