India should consider Pakistan's decision as 'proxy war': Ramdev on Kulbhushan Jadhav

Upping the ante against Pakistan for awarding death sentence to alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jhadav, yoga guru Baba Ramdev on Wednesday said India should consider Islamabad's move a 'proxy war' and give befitting reply to it.

"Kulbhushan Yadav is a respected citizen of India. Pakistan sentenced him to death which is very shameful. We should consider this as proxy war by Pakistan against India. Our nation should give a befitting reply to Pakistan," Ramdev told ANI.

Asserting that entire nation is with Kulbhushan Jhadav, who has become victim of Pakistan's conspiracy, Ramdev further said India would not tolerate such kind of act.

Earlier, India sent out a stern message to Pakistan with the Parliament strongly condemning the Pakistan military court's verdict sentencing Jadhav to death on charges of spying.

Replying to the issue in the Lok Sabha during the Question Hour on April 11, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh asserted that the government would do whatever is possible to give justice to Jadhav.

Singh said India's request for basic consular access to Jadhav was denied several times.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, in a suo motu statement made in both the Houses of Parliament, warned Islamabad of consequences in bilateral relations if death sentence on Kulbhushan Jadhav is carried out.

She said if the decision of the Pakistani court is implemented, it will be a pre-meditated murder asserting that there was no evidence against Jadhav.

There were also strong protests in front of the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi.

Jadhav, who was arrested in March last year by Pakistan and accused of espionage, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on Monday triggering tension between India and Pakistan.

Observers and experts on criminal or espionage-related laws in a majority of countries have suggested that the death sentence against Jadhav is a clear violation of Article 36 of the Vienna Convention that makes it mandatory for every government to provide consular access to an arrested foreign national by officials of his/her government.