"We have secured an unprecedented support from the international community": Sushma Swaraj
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in a series of tweets today, dismissed the opposition's allegation that China's blocking the bid to tag Masood Azhar a "global terrorist" was a "diplomatic disaster" of the Narendra Modi government. She said that while in 2009, India under UPA rule was the only country which wanted the Jaish-e-Mohammed chief to be blacklisted, in 2019 the nation "has worldwide support."
"Leaders who describe this as our diplomatic failure may see for themselves," the minister said.
"In 2016, India's proposal was co-sponsored by USA, France and the UK. In 2019, the proposal was moved by USA, France, UK and supported by 14 of the 15 UNSC members and also co-sponsored by Australia, Bangladesh, Italy and Japan - the non-members of the Security Council. Thus, we have secured an unprecedented support from the international community for listing of Masood Azhar under the UN Sanctions Committee," Sushma Swaraj said.
The Congress on Wednesday attacked the central government after China vetoed designating Masood Azhar as a "global terrorist". The party also slammed China for blocking the move. Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said it was a sad day in the global fight against terrorism.
"China blocking Masood Azhar's designation as a global terrorist reaffirms its position of being an inseparable ally of terrorism's breeding ground -- Pakistan," Mr Surjewala tweeted. "Sadly, Modi ji's foreign policy has been a series of diplomatic disasters," he had said.
The Congress also targeted the BJP over Masood Azhar's release in exchange of passengers of a hijacked Indian plane at Kandahar. Party chief Rahul Gandhi asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to tell the nation that it was a BJP-led government which released Azhar from an Indian jail in 1999.
Alleging that the Prime Minister is soft on China, citing his summit with President Xi Jinping in Wuhan "without an agenda" and hosting him in India earlier, Mr Surjewala taunted PM Modi. "After 56 inch's ''hugplomacy'' and the game of sitting on a swing also, the China-Pakistan duo is showing red eyes to India," his tweet read.