NEW DELHI:
Home Minister Rajnath Singh spoke in Lok Sabha and reiterated that the “Indian government will do everything possible to ensure justice for Kulbhushan Jadhav.” He also said that the government strongly condemns Pakistan’s decision to announce death sentence for Jadhav.
“Kulbhushan Jadhav had a valid Indian visa, how can he be a spy? Consular access also been denied,”
Rajnath Singh added.
Prior to his address, Opposition leaders like Mallikarjuna Kharge, Shashi Tharoor and Asaduddin Owaisi raised the issue in Parliament demanding a strong response from the Indian government.
The Congress party had moved an adjournment motion in Lok Sabha and raised the issue of his death sentence. Taking on the government for showing ‘laxity’ in dealing with Pakistan government, Mallikarjuna Kharge said: “If we fail to save Kulbhushan Jadhav, then it will be government’s weakness.” He also added that Jadhav’s hanging will be considered as a premeditated murder.
AIMIM chief and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi criticised Pakistan government and said that Pakistan military court is a banana court where they have given a judgment without any evidence. Owaisi also said that the government should use its influence in bringing back Jadhav to India.
Union Minister Ananth Kumar, replying to the Opposition leaders, said that the House was united in its support for Kulbhushan Jadhav.
Speaking on the same issue in Upper House of Parliament, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said that there was no evidence of any wrongdoing by Jadhav and cautioned Pakistan to consider its impact on bilateral relations between the two countries.
Jadhav, a former Indian Navy officer, was apprehended in Balochistan region of Pakistan in March last year over charges of spying for the Indian Intel Agency RAW. After his arrest, the Pakistan government also released a video which showed Jadhav accepting the charges levied against him. However, Indian government categorically denied any links with him.
