Former Union Minister MJ Akbar, part of an all-party Indian parliamentary delegation visiting Europe, strongly criticized the international community for its double standards on terrorism.
Speaking in Brussels, Akbar questioned why Indian lives are treated as less valuable, calling out the West’s silence in the face of terror attacks against India.
"Are there two laws in this world? One for America and the West, and another for India?" Akbar was quoted as saying by news agency ANI. "After 9/11, the US went 12,000 kilometres to seek justice in Afghanistan and Pakistan. They held Pakistan accountable -- General Musharraf admitted it.
But when India takes action just 500 kilometres away to fight terror, we are asked to show restraint,” he added.
The delegation, led by BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad, is on a multi-nation tour covering Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Denmark, and the UK, with an aim to expose Pakistan’s continued support for terrorism and advocating for justice for Indian victims of terror.
Ravi Shankar Prasad emphasised that India’s stand is rooted in justice, not revenge. “We ask the world: do the victims of terror have human rights or not?” he said, adding that India has shown restraint in the past but now demands global accountability.
M J Akbar stressed that India is not seeking revenge, but justice. “Indian lives are equally precious. We share Europe’s values of democracy and freedom. Yet, too many still sit on the fence.”
Raising similar questions, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi launched a scathing attack on Pakistan for harbouring terrorists and undermining democracy. Referring to Pakistan’s political instability and military interference, she said, “This is senseless radicalisation.”
Shedding light on President Donald Trump's repeated claims of the US brokering peace between the two nations, Congress MP and leader of the delegation to the US, Shashi Tharoor said,
"India didn't need persuading to stop. No one needed to tell us to stop because we were telling them the moment Pakistan stops, we are prepared to stop.
So if they, in turn, told the Pakistani, You better stop because the Indians are willing to stop and that was what they did. And that's a wonderful gesture on their part."
Leader of the Opposition and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi stirred a political storm on Tuesday when he alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi "surrendered" following a call from Donald Trump.
He went on to draw comparisons with former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, citing that she never backed down in 1971 despite pressure from the US.
However, Tharoor said that India is prepared to use force in the future as well, in the event of any terrorist attacks emanating from Pakistan.
"We have no real difficulty speaking the same language as the Pakistanis, as long as they use the language of terrorism. We will use the language of force, and that doesn't require a third party," he said.
She also criticised former Pakistan foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s past remarks on India’s counter-terror actions, calling them cowardly and hypocritical.
No comments:
Post a Comment