 New Delhi, July 30:
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday categorically said there was no third-party intervention in bringing about a ceasefire with Pakistan during Operation Sindoor, asserting that the halting of the military action was also not linked to trade as claimed by US President Donald Trump. Intervening in the special discussion on Operation Sindoor in the Rajya Sabha, Jaishankar said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the US President did not have any phone calls between April 22, when the Pahalgam terror attack took place, and June 16.
The Opposition has been attacking the government on claims made by Trump on mediation in halting hostilities between India and Pakistan by using the threat of trade.
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He said India will not tolerate any cross-border terrorism and has responded to Pakistan by carrying out Operation Sindoor and will continue to do so.
Noting that the Pahalgam terror attack was absolutely unacceptable, he said a red line was crossed by Pakistan, and there had to be accountability and justice.
“Blood and water will not flow together,” he said, providing reasons for India’s decision to suspend the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan.
Jaishankar said the Modi government has corrected the wrongs of Nehru’s policies by suspending the Treaty. The Treaty signed by then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru was not to buy peace, but for appeasement, he added.
The External Affairs Minister said terrorism is now on the global agenda only because of the efforts of the Modi government.
He said India exerted huge pressure on Pakistan through the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) process and also despite not being a member of the UN Security Council, India was able to get UN recognition that The Resistance Front (TRF) is a proxy of Pakistan-based LeT.
The TRF had claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam attack.
“When the Pahalgam attack happened on April 22, it was a shocking attack for a variety of reasons…The manner in which people were killed in front of their families, the fact that their faith was asked before killing them, the intent of destroying the economy of Jammu and Kashmir, which had returned to normalcy and prosperity after the end of Article 370. All of this angered the country,” he said.
The Minister said there was grief and shock across the world. There was solidarity and sympathy.
“But the question was, what after that? And the answers were two. One, such an attack was absolutely unacceptable. It crossed our red line. There had to be severe consequences “And two, there had to be accountability and justice. There had to be accountability of the perpetrators, and they and their supporters had to be brought to justice. Now, the first clear message, of India’s anger, of our resolve, of our determination, was the decision taken by the Cabinet Committee on Security immediately the day after, from April 23,” he said.
In his nearly hour-long speech, Jaishankar informed that on May 9, US Vice President J D Vance informed Prime Minister Modi that Pakistan was planning a huge attack on India.
To this, Prime Minister Modi told Vance that India’s response would be appropriate, he said.
Pakistan attacked, and India gave a fitting and appropriate response, Jaishankar told the House.
The Minister also India sent a clear message that it is not open to any mediation and will not be deterred by nuclear blackmail.
Jaishankar said Operation Sindoor also did a global service as India reduced to dust terror infrastructure in Pakistan, including in Bahawalpur and Muridke.
He also chided certain opposition party leaders for mocking India’s military action against Pakistan, if they have any doubts, they should watch videos of funerals of terrorists in Pakistan and destruction of airfields in the neighbouring country.
He said Opposition Sindoor was a well-considered and thoughtful response to the barbaric Pahalgam attack and it has now become the basis of a new policy.
He emphasised India will keep responding to each terror attack in the same way.
Certain opposition party members had raised the issue of Jaishankar’s recent visit to China.
To this, the Minister said he visited China to discuss terrorism, de-escalation, and trade restrictions.
“I had no secret meeting,” he said, in a veiled attack on senior Congress party leadership.
Relations with China will be developed on mutual interest, mutual sensitivity and mutual respect, he added
The Minister also thanked the multi-party parliamentary delegation to various countries post Operation Sindoor, delegations to various countries, says they have done great national service. (PTI) |
