There is no justification for any act of terrorism, regardless of motivation: Jaishankar

United Nations, Sep 24: In a strong message on terrorism, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Saturday that no rhetoric, however sanctimonious, can ever cover-up blood stains and asserted that nations who defend proclaimed terrorists in the United Nations neither advance their own interests nor their reputation, a signal to China and Pakistan.

In his address to the high-level UN General Assembly session here, Jaishankar said those who politicise the UNSC 1267 Sanctions regime, sometimes even to the extent of defending proclaimed terrorists, do so at their own peril.

“Having borne the brunt of cross border terrorism for decades, India firmly advocates a 'zero- tolerance’ approach. In our view, there is no justification for any act of terrorism, regardless of motivation. And no rhetoric, however sanctimonious, can ever cover-up blood stains,” he said.

“The United Nations responds to terrorism by sanctioning its perpetrators. Those who politicise the UNSC 1267 Sanctions regime, sometimes even to the extent of defending proclaimed terrorists, do so at their own peril. Believe me, they advance neither their own interests nor indeed their reputation,” he said.

This was a strong, though veiled attack against Pakistan and its all-weather ally China, that has on multiple occasions blocked bids and proposals by India and its allies to designate Pakistan-based terrorists under the 1267 sanctions regime of the UN Security Council.

Bids by India, US and other western allies to blacklist Pakistan-based terrorists under the Security Council’s sanctions regime have been blocked and put on hold on various occasions by Islamabad’s all-weather ally and veto wielding permanent member China in the 15-nation Council.

This month, China has put a hold on a proposal moved at the United Nations by the US and co-supported by India to designate Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist Sajid Mir, wanted for his involvement in the 26/11 Mumbai terrorist attacks, as a global terrorist.