ISLAMABAD – The Foreign Office on Monday strongly condemned the unwarranted, gratuitous and provocative comments made by the Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, questioning established historical facts, levelling unfounded allegations in the context of terrorism, and hurling threats against Pakistan.
It is the BJP’s special forte to misrepresent history, resort to revisionism and delusional thinking, and indulge in false bravado. Such discourse is particularly evident whenever elections in key states in India are approaching.
The timing of the Indian Defence Minister’s provocative rhetoric is, therefore, not surprising, as the BJP-RSS combine is desperate to win elections in Uttar Pradesh and other states, typically inciting hyper nationalism and seeking to advance the extremist ‘Hindutva’ agenda.
The Indian Defence Minister’s chest-thumping and war-mongering is nothing but further evidence of India’s irresponsible behavior and its relentless belligerence towards Pakistan, FO said.
As regards the issue of terrorism, the international community is well aware of how the Hindutva-inspired regime in India is carrying out State-terrorism against the Kashmiris in Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). In November last year, Pakistan also presented a comprehensive dossier with irrefutable evidence of the Indian government’s planning, aiding, abetting, financing and executing terrorist activities in Pakistan.
The world is aware that Pakistan is fully capable of thwarting India’s aggressive designs. We have demonstrated our resolve and capability in this regard, including in the recent past.
The BJP leaders will be well-advised to desist from any ill-conceived misadventure and also stop dragging Pakistan in India’s domestic politics for electoral gains.
The Indian defence minister, while speaking at an event on December 12, had said: “[Pakistan] wants to break India by promoting terrorism and other anti-India activities. Indian forces foiled their plans in 1971 and now work is going on to eliminate the roots of terrorism by our brave forces. We have won in the direct war, and will achieve victory in the proxy was as well.”