Get Kulbhushan back, says Oppn; India warns Pakistan of consequences

New Delhi: A day after former Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav was given death sentence by a military court in Pakistan, the government on Tuesday assured the Parliament that it will make every effort to ensure the release of ‘India’s son’.

On Monday, Pakistan had announced death sentence to Jadhav, 46, for alleged spying and stoking trouble in Balochistan, which took India by surprise and it warned Islamabad that if the verdict were to be implemented it would be ‘premeditated murder’ carried out ‘without observing basic norms of law and justice’.

In Lok Sabha, the Congress-led Opposition united against Pakistan and asked the government to ‘get Kulbhushan Jadhav back’.

“Pakistan lying that Kulbhushan Jadhav is spy, then why is government silent? Government will be termed weak, if they fail to free Kulbhushan,” Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh assured the House that the government would do whatever it takes to bring justice to Kulbhushan Jadhav. “India strongly condemns the death sentence. Basic norms of law and justice were violated. I want to tell the house that the government will do whatever it takes to make sure Kulbhushan Jadhav gets justice,” Singh said in Lok Sabha.

In Rajya Sabha, External Affairs Minister, Sushma Swaraj condemned the death sentence, saying, “There is no evidence of any wrongdoing by Kulbhushan Jadhav and this is an act of premeditated murder. Ridiculous charges have been pressed against Kulbhushan.”

Sending a strong message to Pakistan, Sushma said verdict against Jadhav is indefensible and Pakistan must consider its consequences on diplomatic relations.

Here are the highlights:

Sushma Swaraj, External Affairs Minister

• Charges against Kulbhushan Jadhav are concocted, farcical; there is no evidence of wrong-doing by him.
• Ridiculous charges have been pressed against Kulbhushan and this is an act of premeditated murder. We will do everything to save India’s son.
• Verdict against Jadhav is indefensible and Pakistan must consider its consequences on diplomatic relations.
• A senior Pakistan leader has himself expressed doubts about adequacy of claims in this case.

Rajnath Singh, Home Minister

• Kulbhushan Jadhav was kidnapped by Pakistani agencies from Iran and put through trial as RAW agent.
• A valid Indian passport was found on Kulbhushan Jadhav, which is proof he was not a spy.
• Kulbhushan Jadhav had a valid Indian visa, how can he be a spy? Consular access also been denied.
• The Indian government will do whatever possible for Kulbhushan Jadhav; want to assure all that justice will be done with him.

Shashi Tharoor, Congress

• India should raise the matter at the international level, as Pakistan has violated the Geneva convention by denying consular access to Jadhav.
• There are countries who have financed Pakistan. They should be told that if this thing has happened to an Indian national today, it can happen to their national as well. This is a serious matter. We should take it up as world forum as well.

Konda V Reddy, TRS

• Pakistan judiciary playing to the gallery. Contrast Jadhav's trial with our treatment of Ajmal Kasab.

Tariq Anwar, NCP

• No civilised country denies legal help to an accused person.

Ananth Kumar, BJP

• The entire house is with Kulbhushan Jadhav. We will respond, don’t politicise the issue.

Sougata Roy, TMC

• We condemn the attitude of Pakistan authorities and their vindictive action against Indians.
• Secret trial held in military court as Pakistan had no proof.

Asaduddin Owaisi, AIMIM

• We have to save Kulbhushan Jadhav at any cost. The government should use its influence to bring him back.
• Government must use every trick in the book to free Jadhav.
• Pakistan military court is a banana court where they have given verdict without any evidence.

Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress

• Pakistan lying that Kulbhushan Jadhav is spy, then why is government silent?
• If Pakistan hangs Kulbhushan Jadhav, then it is murder. Government will be termed weak, if they fail to free Kulbhushan.
• Pakistan didn't follow international laws in the matter concerning Kulbhushan Jadhav.
• PM visited Pakistan but failed to raise Kulbhushan Jadhav issue with his Pakistani counterpart.

Pakistani army chief had approved the execution of Kulbhushan Jadhav for alleged "espionage and sabotage" activities.

In retaliation, India decided not to release about a dozen Pakistani prisoners, who were to be repatriated on Wednesday

The government feels that it is not the right time for the release of Pakistani prisoners, official sources said here.

The prisoners were to be released as part of the practice by India and Pakistan to repatriate nationals lodged in each other's jail after they complete their sentence.

The death sentence to Jadhav, 46, was confirmed by Pakistan army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa after the Field General Court Martial (FGCM) found him guilty of "all the charges", said the military's media wing Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) in Rawalpindi.

Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar summoned Pakistan High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit and issued a strongly-worded demarche.