Congress slams Centre's 'ineffective foreign policy' over China blocking Azhar ban

The Congress on Friday attacked the Modi government saying its "ineffective foreign policy" has compromised national security, after China once again blocked the move to declare Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar an international terrorist.

"Modi government has once again compromised national security by an ineffective foreign policy. In the past year, China had thwarted several attempts by New Delhi to get Jaish-e-Mohammad's chief Maulana Masood Azhar named a terrorist by the United Nations," said Congress spokesperson R.P.N Singh.

"In September this year, the BRICS nations grouping, of which China is a key member, had declared Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) among groups responsible for committing, organizing or supporting terrorist acts in a joint statement," he added.

"This was hailed as a big diplomatic victory by the Modi government. Now China has used a 'technical hold' to veto a proposal to declare Masood Azhar as a global terrorist.

"China does not have moral right or the legal right now to prevent the United Nations from declaring him as an international terrorist. False bravado, chest thumping, and hyperbole have become the hallmark of BJP's national security and foreign policy," he added.

Singh said it was intriguing how the names of various BJP leaders have cropped up whenever there are questions about links to Dawood Ibrahim.

"The entire country witnessed when several BJP ministers and leaders of the Devendra Fadnavis (Maharashtra Chief Minister) government recently attended a wedding of Dawood Ibrahim's relatives.

"Self-contradictory posturing of the BJP - on engaging with the Hurriyat or freeing separatists like Masarat Alam or Asiya Andrabi - has blatantly exposed their hypocrisy for holding onto power at any cost. Will the BJP answer why did it release Masarat Alam," Singh asked.

He pointed out that in April 2015, Alam had raised anti-India slogans and hoisted the Pakistan flag in the valley and in August 2015 Asiya Andrabi addressed a rally organised by Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed-led Jamaat-ud-Dawa in Pakistan. Now, she features on Beti Bachao posters, he said.

"Terrorism can be fought only by a united people, not by a people divided by religion. Religious polarization that is intrinsic to the value system of parties like the BJP severely erodes our capacity to combat terrorism," said Singh.

--IANS

sid/rn