ONKAR SINGH / New Delhi
Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad today said the treatment meted out by the Pakistani authorities to alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav’s wife and mother was “an insult to 130 crore Indians”.
“The misbehaviour of Pakistan with the wife and the mother of Kulbhushan Jadhav was misbehaviour with all 130 crore Indians.
“Regardless of political differences, when it comes to the country’s dignity and another country misbehaves with our mothers and sisters, it will not be tolerated,” said Azad.
The Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Azad, also said Pakistan must take responsibility of Jadhav’s life as he was in their custody.
The Congress leader said that he wanted to say a lot of things but could not since the government has cautioned him as it might risk the process of ensuring Jadhav’s freedom, who is on death row in Pakistan over espionage charges.
“The false allegations that Pakistan has levelled against Jadhav can become more problematic if we make too much noise.
“The disregard that Pakistan has shown towards Jadhav’s mother and wife is sad. They have disregarded the women of India. Pakistan government has to assure that they would not disrespect the women of our country in this manner.”
Other opposition members also supported the government over the issue after Sushma Swaraj made a detailed statement on how the Pakistani authorities had mistreated Jadhav’s wife Chetankul and mother Avanti when they went to meet him in Islamabad on December 25.
“We condemn such shameful behaviour by Pakistan and will not take it silently. We will expose Pakistan’s utterly disgusting behaviour,” Sushma Swaraj said.
Trinamool Congress’ Derek O’Brien said: “We are in complete agreement with every word of what the Minister said. We stand by the statement and support the government on this.”
MEANWHILE External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj today hit out at Pakistan for humiliating the family of Kulbhushan Jadhav during their meeting with him in Islamabad. Making a statement in both houses of parliament on the meeting between Mr Jadhav and his wife and mother which took place on Monday, Mrs Swaraj said, despite the clear understanding between the two countries, Pakistan allowed its media to throw questions on the family members of Mr Jadhav.
The Minister criticized the neighbouring country for not allowing the family members to speak in their mother tongue. Mr Swaraj said she was informed that wife of Mr Jadhav was forced to remove her bindi and mangal sutra before the meeting. Also, the family members were forced to change their clothes on the pretext of security by Pakistan.
The Minister came down heavily on Pakistan on not returning the shoes of the wife of Mr Jadhav and said now Islamabad is levelling baseless allegations that there was something in her shoes. Mrs Swaraj said the family members told her that Mr Jadhav was under tension. Mr Jadhav, an Indian national, is in custody of Pakistan over alleged espionage charges for the last 22 months.