No middle path for China on Masood Azhar, says BJP

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said Sunday that terrorism and bilateral relations cannot go hand in hand, and thus, China will have to choose between India and Pakistan.

The BJP made this comment after Beijing tried to defend its second technical hold to prevent a United Nations ban on Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar.

"There is no middle path in the fight against terrorism and China will have to decide which side it is on. It will have to make up its mind whether it is going to side with terrorism just because they want to strengthen their relations with a particular country, and, how far is that going to serve humanity, and, how far is that going to serve Indo-China relations," BJP spokesperson Nalin Kohli told ANI.

On October 1, China had extended its veto on India's move in the United Nations to blacklist Pathankot attack mastermind Masood Azhar and with this, Beijing for the second time prevented India's efforts.

China defending its move yesterday said that there were "different views" on India's application and that its move will allow more time for the "relevant parties" to have consultations even when China is the lone member among the 15-member UNSC to oppose the ban on Azhar.