India Warns Pakistan Of ‘Consequences’ If Kulbhushan Jadhav Is Hanged
India will go “out of the way” to ensure justice to Jadhav, Sushma Swaraj says.
India on Tuesday warned Pakistan of "consequences" if Kulbhushan Jadhav is hanged in the alleged espionage case and vowed to go "out of the way" to save him amid outrage in this country.
The death sentence awarded to Jadhav by a Pakistani military court after declaring him a "spy" echoed in both Houses of Parliament where all parties came together to condemn the "indefensible" verdict and pressed the government to take every step to help him.
Outside Parliament, the Congress urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to mount diplomatic pressure on Pakistan to secure the release of the 46-year-old former Naval officer.
Protests against the death sentence were also staged outside the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi. The protesters were led by Congress leader Shehzad Poonawalla.
In Parliament, the government as well as the opposition saw the capital punishment as an attempt to defame India and to deflect the attention of the international community from Pakistan-sponsored terrorism.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj made a statement in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, asserting that India will go "out of the way" to ensure justice to Jadhav. His execution will be taken by India as a "pre-meditated murder" and Pakistan should "consider its consequences" on bilateral relations, if it proceeds on this matter, she warned.
In the Rajya Sabha, Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad, while expressing outrage over the development, said the Indian government should provide Jadhav the best of the lawyers to ensure that the truth prevails.
Responding to this, the external affairs minister said the government will not only ensure that Jadhav is provided with the best of lawyers in the Supreme Court of Pakistan but will also take it up with the President of Pakistan.
Earlier in the Lok Sabha, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said the government will do everything possible to get justice for Jadhav. While condemning the action, Singh said that Pakistan had ignored all norms of law and justice.