AMN
The External Affairs Ministry has said that the third Atal Bihari Vajpayee Memorial Lecture will be held on the 23rd of January. In a media briefing on Thursday, External Affairs Ministry’s spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar will preside over the event.
The External Affairs Ministry has strongly condemned the reported vandalism of Hindu temples in Australia. Mr. Bagchi said, India is aware that a couple of temples have recently been vandalised in Australia. He said, India strongly condemns these actions and these actions have also been publicly condemned by Australian leaders, community leaders and religious associations there. Mr. Bagchi informed that India’s Consulate General in Melbourne has taken up the matter with the local Police and requested expeditious investigation against the perpetrators. He mentioned that the matter has also been taken up with the Australian government.
On the relations with Pakistan, Mr. Bagchi said, India has always wanted normal neighbourly relations with Pakistan but there should be a conducive atmosphere without any terror, hostility or violence. On listing four Pakistani terrorists as international terrorists in the United Nations Security Council’s sanctions list, Mr. Bagchi said, India will continue to push the matter.