‘Defend terrorists at own peril’: India's veiled attack at China, Pakistan on terrorism

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Saturday that no rhetoric, however sanctimonious, can ever cover up blood stains and asserted that nations who defend proclaimed terrorists in the UN neither advance their own interests nor their reputation, in a clear signal to China and Pakistan on the issue of terrorism.

In his address to the high-level UN General Assembly session, Jaishankar said those who politicise the UNSC 1267 Sanctions regime, sometimes even to the extent of defending proclaimed terrorists, do so at their own peril.

“Having borne the brunt of cross-border terrorism for decades, India firmly advocates a ‘zero- tolerance’ approach. In our view, there is no justification for any act of terrorism, regardless of motivation. And no rhetoric, however sanctimonious, can ever cover up blood stains,” he said.

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“The United Nations responds to terrorism by sanctioning its perpetrators. Those who politicise the UNSC 1267 Sanctions regime, sometimes even to the extent of defending proclaimed terrorists, do so at their own peril. Believe me, they advance neither their own interests nor indeed their reputation,” he said.

This was strong, though veiled attack against Pakistan and its all-weather ally China, which has on multiple occasions blocked bids and proposals by India and its allies to designate Pakistan-based terrorists under the 1267 sanctions regime of the UN Security Council.

"India has always espoused a cooperative, inclusive, and consultative approach to international relations. We believe that multipolarity, rebalancing, fair globalisation and reformed multilateralism cannot be kept in abeyance," he said.

This month, China has put a hold on a proposal moved at the United Nations by the US and co-supported by India to designate Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist Sajid Mir, wanted for his involvement in the 26/11 Mumbai terrorist attacks, as a global terrorist.

Beijing put a hold on the proposal moved by the US and co-designated by India to blacklist Mir under the 1267 Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee of the UN Security Council as a global terrorist and subject him to assets freeze, travel ban and arms embargo.

Last month, China put a hold on a proposal by the US and India at the United Nations to blacklist Abdul Rauf Azhar, the brother of Jaish-e Mohammed (JEM) chief Masood Azhar and a senior leader of the Pakistan-based terror organisation.

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