Paris, May 27 (PTI): In a powerful address to the Indian community in France, BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad urged efforts to highlight "Brand India" as a symbol of peace amidst global terrorism challenges.
Speaking to community leaders and prominent Indian diaspora members in Paris on Monday, an all-party parliamentary delegation, led by Prasad, underscored the message that last month's terrorist attack in Pahalgam was a calculated move to disrupt peace and progress in Jammu and Kashmir's Union Territory.
The delegation reaffirmed that India's response through Operation Sindoor was "precise, targeted, proportionate, and non-escalatory", specifically targeting Pakistan-supported terrorist camps.
“I am proud of every one of you as you act as brand ambassadors of our country. Present Brand India correctly – for peace and harmony. However, if innocent Indians are attacked by terrorists, a price will be paid. This encapsulates the essence of Operation Sindoor,” conveyed Prasad.
The former Union minister reiterated the delegation's core message: any terrorist act is tantamount to warfare, “because in Pakistan, terrorism and official administration are intertwined.”
Prasad highlighted, “If questioned regarding Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s stance that this era is not for war, then likewise, it’s not for terrorism. Terrorism is a global menace, a cancer threatening civilised societies worldwide.”
Lok Sabha MP Daggubati Purandeswari noted the delegation's European mission aimed to communicate severe "truths" about terrorism to the international community.
“India has endured cross-border terrorism for far too long. We have a leadership that now says enough. Despite being a responsible nation, we've never initiated war. But our restraint has its limits,” expressed the Andhra Pradesh leader in both English and Telugu.
Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi emphasized that terrorism is an "economic enterprise for Pakistan," threatening peace beyond South Asia.
“We express not just our anger but our steadfast resolve that Operation Sindoor is more than a conventional countermeasure. It's a comprehensive response across all forums and avenues to signal to the world, and particularly to Pakistan, that we will account for every Indian life lost to terrorism,” Chaturvedi stated.
Kashmiri Rajya Sabha MP Ghulam Ali Khatana pointed out the rise in tourism in his home state, which terrorists in Pahalgam targeted, and warned that such actions by Pakistan would be seen as acts of war by India.
Congress MP Dr. Amar Singh stressed that despite political differences, the initiative signifies a unified stand against terrorism.
Rajya Sabha MP Samik Bhattacharya reinforced this cross-party synergy aimed at exposing Pakistan’s global terrorist sponsorship.
“Pakistan’s position will not change… globally isolating it as a terrorist state is imperative,” he argued.
AIADMK leader M Thambidurai also stressed the international unity required against Pakistan-sponsored terrorism in an address in Tamil.
“In Pakistan, terrorism is not just an anarchist act. It is institutionalized state policy,” stated former Union Minister M J Akbar.
The Indian diaspora members, ranging from restaurant owners to tech professionals and businesspeople of Indian heritage, pledged their solidarity with India’s battle against cross-border terrorism.
They recounted organizing a protest at the Eiffel Tower, condemning Pakistan-backed terrorism post the April 22 Pahalgam attack, which claimed 26 lives.
The delegation engaged with Paris-based think-tanks, discussing India's firm anti-terrorism message and the global threat terrorism embodies.
The Indian Embassy in Paris, through a statement, reported the delegation's emphasis on the Pahalgam attack's intent to disrupt peace in Jammu and Kashmir, and India’s precise and proportionate Operation Sindoor response.
The delegation further highlighted India’s zero-tolerance policy toward terrorism, asserting no distinction between terrorists and their backers, the statement noted.
The delegation, led by Ravi Shankar Prasad, is among 33 parliamentary teams globally advocating India’s anti-terror stance, with planned meetings in Italy, Denmark, the UK, Belgium, and Germany.
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