PM should now raise issue of Masood Azhar: Congress

The Congress on Monday said it hopes Prime Minister Narendra Modi will now take up the issue of declaration of Maulana Masood Azhar as an international terrorist as his outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed has already been declared a terrorist organisation by BRICS nations.

The party also said China did not have a moral or legal right now to stand in the way or to prevent the United Nations from declaring Azhar an international terrorist.

On the condemnation of terrorism at BRICS summit by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa leaders, Surjewala said: "Terrorism has no place either in our country or on the global stage. Challenge of terrorism is something that the BRICS nations, as also all other countries, must fight unitedly."

"We are happy that the BRICS nations have proceeded to condemn the acts of Taliban, ISIS, Al-Qaida, Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, Haqqani Network, Lashker-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, Hizb ul-Tahrir and others. It is a welcome start and it needs to be taken forward," the Congress spokesperson said.

"We hope Prime Minister Narendra Modi will now take up the issue of declaration of Maulana Masood Azhar as an international terrorist since Jaish-e-Mohammed, to whom he is affiliated, has now been declared a terrorist organisation by BRICS nations."

On Modi's statement at BRICS Summit that the country was in a "mission mode" to eradicate poverty and ensure health, sanitation, gender equality etc., Surjewala said: "Modiji needs to travel from rhetoric to reality."

"There is a difference between the reality and rhetoric of the Prime Minister. It is time for him to walk the talk," he added.

--IANS

sid/nir/vt