Venkaiah Naidu's warning to Pakistan on terror: 'Recall what happened in 1971'

NEW DELHI: The NDA's vice presidential nominee Venkaiah Naidu on Sunday delivered a warning to Pakistan: "Recall what happened in 1971".
The former Union minister wants Pakistan to remember India's victory over it in the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971 so that it realises what may happen if it continues to pursue terrorism as a "state policy", reported ANI news agency.
"Our neighbour should understand that aiding and abetting terror will not help them, they should recall what happened in 1971...Terrorism is the enemy of humanity, it has no religion.Pakistan is mixing terrorism with religion. It has unfortunately become Pakistan's state policy," said Naidu in an address at the 'Kargil Parakram Parade' in the Capital. The annual parade honours the martyrs of the Kargil conflict of 1999.
His comments come amid the increasing number of ceasefire violations and infiltration attempts along the Line of Control (LoC) by Pakistan in recent months. Eleven persons, including nine soldiers, were killed, and 18 people injured, in as many as 18 ceasefire violations by Pakistan this month, said PTI. And this year, the Army foiled a total of 22 infiltration bids along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir. It also killed 38 armed intruders in these operations. One such infiltration bid was foiled on Sunday in the Machil sector of north Kashmir's Kupwara district.
On the occasion of the 'Kargil Parakram Parade', Naidu also hit out at Pakistan for not just meddling in Kashmir but also actively supporting terror in the state. He recalled the bravery and sacrifice of solders who got back from Pakistan Kashmir's Kargil district in the fierce conflict of May-June 1999.
"Ours is a peace loving country. We never want war. But when this highly coveted peace is denied to us, our brave soldiers respond in a befitting manner...We are too strong to lose our focus on the country's development and betterment of the country," Naidu said.
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US, EU also slammed Pak recently
Naidu's warning also comes amid growing weariness worldwide at Islamabad's continued inaction on terrorist safe havens and terror acts perpetrated allegedly by its proxies in India and in Afghanistan. Just two days ago, the Trump administration in the US said it was blocking $350 million in coalition support funds to Pakistan as it had not taken "sufficient actions" against the dreaded Haqqani terror network. And on Wednesday, the US listed Pakistan among the nations providing "safehavens" to terrorists, saying terror groups like the LeT and JeM continued to operate, train, organise and fund-raise inside the country.
In its annual 'Country Report on Terrorism', the US state department said the 2008 Mumbai attacks' mastermind and UN-designated terrorist Hafiz Saeed continued to address large rallies, although in February 2017 Pakistan proscribed him under its Anti-Terrorism Act.
Pakistan needs to set its own house in order to improve the situation within its borders instead of meddling in other countries' affairs, said Naidu.
They "should focus on their own country and maintain peace there," he said. While its proxies perpetrate acts of terror in other countries, Pakistan itself is one of the worst hit in the world by homegrown terror.
The former Union minister isn't the only who believes that either.
Just last month, the European Parliament adopted a resolution condemning the human rights situation in Pakistan.
The resolution, which was adopted by majority, expressed grave concern over the "roll-back in Pakistan of the respect for human rights and the rule of law," in particular the freedom granted to security forces, the use of military courts, the crackdown on NGOs, the intimidation of human rights defenders and religious minorities, and the increase in extrajudicial killings, reported IANS.
The European Parliament also highlighted the case of Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav who was sentenced to death in April 2017 by a Pakistani military court. Jadhav was not allowed access to consular services despite several requests by the Indian government. That is a breach of international law.
Then, in May, the Pakistani army mutilated the bodies of two Indian soldiers after a ceasefire violation along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district. That was a breach of the Geneva Convention.
At the time, Naidu, who was a Union minister in the NDA government, called Pakistan a "rogue state".
"We want to have good relationship with Pakistan which is our neighbour, but they are not behaving accordingly - crossing the border, mutilating the jawans - it is brutal. It has to be condemned and the international community should also understand this," he said.
Last Monday, the ruling NDA announced it has picked Naidu to be its candidate for the vice presidential election which will be held August 5. Upon his name being announced, Naidu resigned from his ministerial posts and also quit the BJP.
He's widely expected to be a shoo-in in the election for vice president.
(With inputs from Agencies)