Countries supporting terrorists must be told to stop it, says Sushma

Addressing a conference of 57-nation Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (IOC) here as the 'Guest of Honour' here, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said those indulging in terrorism are resorting to "distortion of religion" and giving different names to the menace to justify it.

Swaraj addressed the plenary session of the conference which was boycotted by Pakistan as a protest against invitation to India for the first time in the grouping's 50-year-old history.

In her speech, she said "senseless terrorist violence" was destroying lives, destabilising regions and putting the world at great peril as its "lethality" was increasing and "toll rising".

Swaraj said terrorism and extremism was given "different names" to justify such acts and involved "distortion of religion".

"The fight against terrorism is not a confrontation against any religion and can't be against any religion. Just as Islam means peace, none of the 99 names of Allah means violence. Similarly, every religion stands for peace," Swaraj said.

In this context, she also referred to the preaching of the founder of Sikhism Guru Nanak and highlighted how all religions co-exist peacefully in India in a pluralistic society.

At the same time, the External Affairs Minister underlined, "We must tell the States which provide shelter and funding to terrorism to dismantle the infrastructure of terrorism like camps based in those countries."

Although she did not name any country, the reference was clearly to Pakistan and the comments come against the backdrop of Pulwama terror attack.

She also said that the menace of terrorism cannot be fought only by military means but the strength of cultural values also should be used.

She suggested involvement of people like sages and scholars to work to end terrorism.

"Faiths should speak to faiths, cultures must engage with cultures," Swaraj told the Islamic world.