India on Friday made it clear to Pakistan that a terrorist in one nation cannot be a martyr in the other. As Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh made this assertion in the Rajya Sabha, the entire House backed him for the tough stance against terror at the SAARC conference in Islamabad on Thursday. Singh also pointed out that he boycotted a lunch with his Pakistan counterpart by keeping in mind India’s prestige.
Cutting across party lines, members in the Upper House condemned treatment meted out to him during his two-day visit to attend the SAARC conference of Home Ministers in Islamabad. The House also slammed Pakistan for not maintaining protocol befitting his stature. Singh made suo moto statement about his visit to Islamabad in both the Houses of Parliament.
Singh said India has time and again reached out to Pakistan for normalising ties as the neighbouring country is also suffering from terrorism. Pointing out that former Prime Ministers Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh besides Narendra Modi visited Pakistan for improving bilateral ties, he quipped, “Yeh padosi hai ke maanta nahin.”
Highlighting that in his speech at the SAARC conference, he termed terrorism as the biggest challenge to peace and prosperity of South Asia, Singh said he called for hardening our resolve to eradicate this menace.
“I also stressed on the need to ensure that terrorism is not glorified and is not patronised by any State. One country’s terrorist cannot be a martyr or freedom fighter for anyone else. I had clearly pointed out that the strongest possible steps need to be taken, not only against terrorists and terrorist organisations but also those individuals, institutions, organisations or nations that support them. Only this will ensure that the forces engaged in promoting the heinous crime of terrorism against humanity are effectively countered,” he said.
Stressing the need for effective measures to ensure that those involved in terrorist acts do not escape prosecution and are extradited, the Home Minister said Pakistan is yet to ratify SAARC convention on Mutual Assistance on Criminal Matters to fight terrorism.
While Islamabad has assured it will sign the document soon, India hopes it will actually “be soon,” he said. Singh said he also suggested to the SAARC Ministers that sanctions and bans imposed against terrorists by the global community have to be honoured.
Responding to questions by the Elders about so-called blackout of his speech at the convention, Singh said Pakistani authorities did not allow entry of Indian mediapersons, including those from PTI, Doordarshan and ANI inside the venue of SAARC conference. He also said he was not aware of past tradition in this regard.
External Affairs Ministry spokesman Vikas Swarup did not clarify this matter and barely said Singh went to Pakistan to participate in a multilateral event and not a bilateral one.
As regards protests against him in Islamabad, Singh said group of 50 to 100 people were seen raising slogans when he was on way to his hotel from the helipad. “Had I bothered, I would not have gone to Islamabad,” he said, adding, “I did not get an opportunity to complain.”
On the issue of boycotting the lunch, the Home Minister said after the conference on Thursday, Pakistan’s Interior Minister had hosted a lunch for all the Home Ministers of SAARC nations. “However, when the host himself left the venue, keeping India’s prestige in view, I did what I had to do,” Singh said, adding, “I had not gone to Islamabad for lunch, I have no complaints.” The Minister also said, “India is known globally for its meheman nawaazi (hospitality).”
Several Elders appreciated Singh for “boycotting” the lunch. They also criticised Pakistan for not showing due courtesy to the visiting Indian Home Minister and also allowing protest against India during his visit.
leader of Opposition and senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said the Congress and the BJP may have political differences, but when the Prime Minister or the Home Minister travels abroad, “we are one.” He sought to know if local TV channels did not cover the Home Minister’s visit and his statements and there was a media blackout.
Subramanian Swamy (BJP) wanted to know if Singh took up with his Pakistani counterpart the “daily retort by their Prime Minister about disintegrating” India and Kashmir. He wanted to know if Singh suggested to Pakistanis to take care of problems in their own backyard.
Derek O’Brien (TMC) also expressed concern over so-called media blackout while Majid Menon (NCP) and D Raja lauded the Home Minister for bold stand in the conference. Airing similar sentiments, Ramgopal Yadav (SP) sought to know if the Government had given a free hand to BSF and Army commanders on the border to deal with infiltrators.
The Home Minister said BSF was asked to exercise restraint and “patience,” but if a bullet is fired, then they do not need to seek permission for how they have to respond. This is the standing order.”