"It's high time the world speaks up against terrorism": BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad in UK
London [UK], June 4 (ANI): Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Ravi Shankar Prasad, who led an all-party delegation to the United Kingdom, called for a unified global stance against terrorism and said that Pakistan must be held accountable for its actions. He said that the world needs to speak as far as terrorism is concerned and noted that no country is free from it.
In his opening statement during media interaction in the UK on Tuesday, Prasad stated that terrorism is against democracy, civilised existence and human rights. He even questioned the release of international funding without accountability and mentioned that Pakistan has taken loans from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) 25 times.
He said, 'Our message is very simple. Terrorism is against democracy, civilised existence, human rights, and basic norms of a good human existence. It is high time the world spoke as far as this terrorism is concerned. No country is free, and any country that is presently free cannot be free subsequently. That is the purpose of our visit.'
'A collective effort should be there, Pakistan should be made to pay a cost. Why should so much of international funding is there without accountability. Where is the money going? Is it going to purchase weapons or alleviate poverty? These are relevant questions. Pakistan, I understand, has taken out 25 loans from the IMF. That is the message. I repeat, we have nothing against the people of Pakistan. Our commitment to peace and amity is impeccable. We are equally clear that India, a big sovereign country, has the right to save its citizens from terrorism,' he added.
He also drew parallels between India and Pakistan in terms of development and highlighted India's economic and digital sectors growth.
He said, 'India and Pakistan were exactly born on the same date, 15th August 1947, India was born and 14th August, Pakistan was born. After 75 years, what is the position? India is the fourth biggest economy of the world...Today, India's digital profile, including Aadhaar, digital delivery of services, and digital payment, is something the world is talking about. The manufacturing sector, the space sector, and all that you will know. What is happening in our neighbourhood, Pakistan, always the generals control the lever of power, unelected...That is the hard fact of life.'
He called out Pakistan for supporting terrorism and called terrorism an instrument of their state policy. He said, 'We have fought four conventional wars - 1948, 1965, 1971, when Bangladesh was created and then the Kargil attack. India started none of these. Once they knew that they cannot match India in conventional conflict, the doctrine of causing thousands of....Today, terrorism as an instrument of state policy, something like a strategic asset or a proxy, has been taken by Pakistan in a manner which you all know. I need not elaborate. 40,000 people have been killed and I wish to clarify, we are not against the people of Pakistan and I repeat, we are not against the people of Pakistan. The tragedy is, the people of Pakistan are equally fed up with the generals of Pakistan.'
He recalled the efforts made by the Indian government to normalise ties with Pakistan, including those of former Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, and Lal Bahadur Shastri.
He also recalled how Prime Minister Narendra Modi invited then-Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif to his swearing-in ceremony in 2014. He mentioned that PM Modi travelled to Pakistan while returning from Afghanistan at Nawaz Sharif's invitation.
Recalling India's efforts to normalise ties with Pakistan, he said, 'The second thing is, all our governments, starting from Jawaharlal Nehru, who instituted the Indus Water Treaty Agreement, where 80% of the water used to go to ... I will explain that also to you. Then, in 1965, Lal Bahadur Shastri went to Tashkent and signed an agreement. The Bangladesh crisis, the Shimla Agreement, and Indira Gandhi's execution. Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the Prime Minister, went to Pakistan by bus...Dr Manmohan Singh also, in his own way, tried for normalisation of relationships. What happened? Attack on Indian Parliament, attack in Mumbai, hundreds were killed, including many foreigners, including British, attack in markets.'
'They have attacked in London, on the tube. They attacked on 9/11 in New York. Osama Bin Laden was ultimately captured in Pakistan. Unfortunately, another journalist you all know, a journalist throat was slit in this kind of attack. The one who killed him was killed by India's precise strikes at the terrorist camp. And Mr. Narendra Modi, as the Prime Minister in 2014, I want to make it clear, called Nawaz Sharif in a swearing-in ceremony, to normalise. When he had gone to Kabul to inaugurate the new Parliamentary building, erected with India's assistance, Nawaz Sharif phoned him, you will be flying over my sky, my grandson is getting married, if you attend. He went there and what has he got in return? Uri, Pulwama, Pahalgam,' he added.
He said that India targeted terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoK) after terrorists killed 26 people and injured several others in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam on April 22.
Speaking about Operation Sindoor, he said, 'This time we have said, enough is enough. On the 22nd of April, the deadly Pahalgam attacks happened. On the 7th of May, the attack was made. We only attacked the terrorist camps, Bahawalpur, Muridke, Muzaffarabad and others, and I want to make it very clear, the attack was carried out at 1:30 in the night for 21 minutes, and the common people are not at all affected by it at all. In the morning, Pakistan was communicated, we have attacked your terrorist camps.'
'We don't wish to escalate, it is proportionate. They did not respond, and showered India's skies with a lot of missiles. It is a measure of our defence capability that, right from Madhya Pradesh to Ujjain, there is 3000 km of airspace, and our air forces completely secured it, neutralising and paralysing their missile attacks. Then, India unleashed a very precise strike on their air force facilities. It destroyed about 9 airports in various parts of Pakistan,' he added.
He recalled how all the nations, except Turkiye, called and expressed solidarity with India following the Pahalgam terrorist attack. He stressed that Operation Sindoor is paused, not stopped and is subject to the good behaviour of Pakistan.
Ravi Shankar Prasad said, 'Operation Sindoor is under paused not stopped subject to the good behaviour of Pakistan...We believe in peace, we believe in harmony. But we don't at all permit a situation that our innocent Indians are killed with impunity by terrorists...This is not acceptable because this time Pakistan has been told that they have to pay a cost to terrorists.'
'One thing I would like to clarify at the very outset, and I know you will ask this question, is the Indus Water Treaty. This treaty came into being in 1960. 80 per cent of the water of rivers, seven rivers, goes to Pakistan and 20 per cent to India...The preamble of this treaty clearly says, it is being entered into in a spirit of goodwill and these two terms also forms a clause of that bill...And thereafter, we have only put the treaty in abeyance. Sindoor Operation is paused, the treaty is under abeyance,' he added.
The delegation led by Ravi Shankar Prasad includes BJP MPs Daggubati Purandeswari and Samik Bhattacharya, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi, Congress MPs Ghulam Ali Khatana and Amar Singh, former Union Minister MJ Akbar, and former Ambassador Pankaj Saran.
An all-party delegation visited the UK as part of India's global outreach program to convey the country's firm stance against terrorism. This diplomatic outreach comes after Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7.
In response to the Pahalgam attack carried out by Pakistan-sponsored terrorists, Indian Armed Forces targeted terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, resulting in the deaths of over 100 terrorists affiliated with groups such as Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen. (ANI)
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Hindustan Times
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India.com
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Washington D.C./New Delhi: In a rare show of cross-party unity abroad, an Indian all-party parliamentary delegation led by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has set the diplomatic stage on fire during its US visit – defending India's military response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 innocent civilians and directly accusing Pakistan of being a repeat offender in using terrorism as an instrument of state policy. Under the banner of Operation Sindoor, the trip is fast turning into one of the most forceful Indian diplomatic offensives in recent years. Tharoor, who called the meeting with US Vice President JD Vance 'excellent', said that the American vice president not only supported India's position on the Pahalgam terror attack but also acknowledged India's 'right to respond'. 'We had a wonderful meeting with Vice President Vance. He was warm and welcoming, had warm memories of his visit to India, totally supportive of our stand on Pahalgam and the aftermath and accepting our right to respond as we did… Very positive vibes throughout the meeting,' he posted on X (formerly Twitter) after the interaction. Excellent meeting with Vice President @JDVance today in Washington D.C. with our delegation. We had comprehensive discussions covering a wide array of critical issues, from counter-terrorism efforts to enhancing technological cooperation. A truly constructive & productive… — Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) June 5, 2025 Yesterday, a wonderfully positive meeting with the #IndiaCaucus leadership. - @RepAndyBarr, co-vice-Chair of India Caucus (Republican) - @RepMcCormick, co-Chair of India Caucus (Republican) - @RepRoKhanna, co-Chair of India Caucus (Democrat) - RepMarkVeasey, co-vice-Chair of… — Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) June 5, 2025 VIDEO | Washington DC: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) responds to a question from Ishaan Tharoor, on Pakistan denying involvement in the Pahalgam terror attack. Here's what he said "No one had any doubt. We were not asked for evidence, but the media has asked this… — Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) June 5, 2025 #WATCH | Washington DC: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor says, "...We hit terror bases. There are no terror bases in India to hit. There are no terrorist organisations in India listed in the UN or the State Department anywhere else. So, what do you hit? You hit civilians, innocent… — ANI (@ANI) June 5, 2025 The discussions, which took place behind closed doors in Washington D.C., also covered strategic cooperation in areas like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and counter-terrorism. As the Indian Embassy highlighted, 'The conversation focused on strengthening the India-US partnership including cooperation in counter-terrorism domain.' The All Party Parliamentary Delegation led by Dr. @ShashiTharoor called on Vice President JD Vance @VP this morning. The conversation focused on strengthening the India - US partnership including cooperation in counter-terrorism domain. — India in USA (@IndianEmbassyUS) June 5, 2025 The All Party Delegation led by Dr. @ShashiTharoor interacted with members of various think tanks at the Embassy today. The conversation focused on India's fight against terrorism and the multi-faceted partnership Watch the interaction here — India in USA (@IndianEmbassyUS) June 5, 2025 But it was not only Tharoor making waves in Washington. BJP MP Tejasvi Surya, never known to mince words, upped the ante by publicly calling Pakistan a 'habitual offender' and declaring that Operation Sindoor would be the wake-up call Islamabad desperately needed. 'There is no delusion that Operation Sindoor will teach Pakistan a lesson for good because Pakistan is a habitual offender,' he declared bluntly, reminding audiences that Pakistan's leadership has repeatedly admitted to waging a proxy war against India. Surya went further, drawing in the United States directly into the equation, claiming India's fight is not just national but global. 'India's fight against terror is not just India's fight alone. We are fighting the battle for the entire world… In the very recent past, 5 Pak nationals in the US have orchestrated attacks on US soil,' he said. Had an excellent meeting with US Vice President @JDVance as part of our all-party delegation visit to Washington DC He was categorical in backing India's right to defend itself against terrorism and expressed deep sympathy for the victims of the Pahalgam attack. Having been in… — Tejasvi Surya (@Tejasvi_Surya) June 5, 2025 At the @IndiaInUSA press briefing in Washington DC, reflected on two contrasting 9/11s. India's moment of 9/11 was Swami Vivekananda's 1893 call for harmony in Chicago. Pakistan's 9/11 was the 2001 New York terror attacks linked to its soil. India champions the idea of… — Tejasvi Surya (@Tejasvi_Surya) June 5, 2025 Pakistan's global reputation is marred by notorious figures, all of whom have been implicated in orchestrating terror worldwide. In stark contrast, India boasts a legacy of individuals like who have made significant contributions to global development and peace. This… — Tejasvi Surya (@Tejasvi_Surya) June 5, 2025 Spoke at an interaction with the Indian Diaspora in Washington DC earlier today. India's strength lies in its Pahalgam attack was a deliberate attempt by Pakistan to disrupt our social harmony and tear at the fabric of our unity. The All-Party Delegation, sent by… — Tejasvi Surya (@Tejasvi_Surya) June 5, 2025 Backing the sentiment, BJP MP Shashank Mani delivered a striking line aimed at Pakistan-backed terror groups. 'Terrorists are really 'Buzdil' (coward)… if we can get them to the place where they know there is a price to pay, over a period of time, it (terrorism) will come down,' he said. Our Washington DC meetings started with a meeting with the India Caucus in the Congress. This consisted of Rich McCormick, Congressman from Georgia, Ro Khanna, Congressman from California, Andy Barr, Congressman from Kentucky, and Marc Veasey, Congressman from Texas. Each… — Shashank Mani (@shashankmanibjp) June 5, 2025 Our second meeting was hosted by the House Foreign Affairs Committee (HFAC) Leadership, with Chairman Rep. Brian Mast, a congressman from Florida which turned out to be a full discussion on Sindoor, but also the context of this operation given the shifting geopolitical landscape… — Shashank Mani (@shashankmanibjp) June 5, 2025 It was a pleasure to call on Rep. Lisa McClain, the highest-ranking woman in the Congress. Lisa chairs the powerful house GOP Conference as a congresswoman from Michigan. A person with deep interest in growing the business and geopolitical cooperation between the two nations, she… — Shashank Mani (@shashankmanibjp) June 5, 2025 This impressive room hosted our first meeting with Senators who were also waiting for a vote on the floor of the house. We met with Senator James Risch, Chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Dave McCormick and Senator Jacky Rosen, Vice Chairman of the… — Shashank Mani (@shashankmanibjp) June 5, 2025 It was a pleasure to interact with the media at a press conference hosted at the Indian embassy in Washington DC. Dr Shashi Tharoor and other members of the delegation took a wide range of questions from the press. This included not just specifics of Operation Sindoor, but also… — Shashank Mani (@shashankmanibjp) June 5, 2025 When Dhoti comes to rescue. Our visit to the Hill would not be complete without a photo in front of the Capitol Hill. As some of you would have seen that my Dhoti attire had evoked curiosity in this visit, but today the other delegates were envious as this was the best attire… — Shashank Mani (@shashankmanibjp) June 5, 2025 Our public engagement at the Willard hotel was an outstanding success. With over 350 people showing up for the event, it gave us an opportunity to speak with the Indian Diaspora, which had featured in every meeting this morning on the Hill. As others had addressed Operation… — Shashank Mani (@shashankmanibjp) June 5, 2025 Earlier, addressing the Indian diaspora in D.C., Surya emphatically separated India's character from that of its hostile neighbour. 'No sane person, no reasonable thinking policymaker anywhere in the world will ever draw an equivalence between India and Pakistan… India does not seek war. But if you attack us, we are ready to do 100 Operation Sindoors,' he said. The delegation, comprising MPs from the Congress, the BJP, the Shiv Sena, the LJP, the JMM and the TDP, landed in the United States after concluding a similar mission in Brazil. Their focus was to convey the details and rationale behind Operation Sindoor, launched by India on the intervening night of May 6-7 to serve justice to the victims of the Pahalgam attack. India's armed response targeted terror infrastructure inside Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, reportedly killing over 100 terrorists. The operation culminated in a ceasefire agreement on May 10 after Indian forces neutralised Pakistan's attempts at escalation by striking its airbases. (With ANI inputs)
