Rajya Sabha condemns Pakistan for humiliating Jadhav’s mother, wife

Rare consensus was seen in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday when members, cutting across party lines, joined External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in condemning Pakistan for humiliating and violating the rights of the family of imprisoned Kulbhushan Jadhav.

Jadhav, who has been sentenced to death in Pakistani on charges of espionage and terrorism, was allowed to meet his mother and wife in prison in Islamabad on Monday. An outraged Swaraj told the Upper House that they were subjected to harassment by the Pakistani media and made to change their shoes, clothes and even remove their mangalsutra and bindi.

Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad joined her in expressing condemnation at the manner in which the two women were treated in Pakistan. Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu expressed the sense of outrage in the House.

“The entire House, irrespective of different political shades, joins in appreciating the steps taken by the Minister and the government, and we all stand firm with the government for the safety and security of Mr Jadhav. The House also calls upon the government to safely secure the release of Jadhav and also convey to the international community our concern at the way Pakistan behaved in the most inhuman manner,” Naidu said.

Earlier, in her statement, Swaraj said Jadhav’s meeting with his wife and mother in Islamabad had been allowed after 22 months and was “misused by Pakistan as an instrument to further its propaganda.”

Jadhav’s mother and wife were taken for the meeting through a separate door without informing the accompanying Indian Deputy High Commissioner, stripped of their bindi, bangles and mangalsutra, made to change into different clothes and wear slippers by discarding their shoes, she said.

After the meeting, Pakistani authorities also did not return Jadhav’s wife’s shoes despite repeated requests. Swaraj said that not returning the shoes has given rise to suspicion that Pakistan was up to some “mischief”. “The Pakistan authorities have been cautioned against any mischievous intent in this regard through a note verbale yesterday.”

Now, Pakistani authorities are talking of a chip, a camera or a recorder being installed in the shoes, Swaraj said. The charge is “absurdity beyond measure,” she said. adding that the two women had cleared security checks at airports in Delhi, Dubai and Pakistan, and no such device was detected then.

“The meeting of Jadav with his mother and wife was portrayed by Pakistan as a humanitarian gesture. However, the truth is that both humanity and compassion were missing during the meeting that was arranged on humanitarian and compassionate grounds,” the Minister said.

Swaraj said there was “a serious and gross violation of human rights of the family members of Jadhav, and an intimidating atmosphere was created for them during this meeting.”

COMMENT NOW