Terror biggest challenge: Sushma
External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj said on Tuesday that given the danger of terrorism, “there is a developing consensus ( within Brics) that it can’t be business as usual,” adding that “we must be prepared to extract cost by those who sponsor and support terrorists, who provide them sanctuary, and who, despite their own claimed victimhood, continue to make the false distinction between good and bad terrorists”.
Speaking at the Brics media forum in New Delhi following the end of the Brics Summit in Goa over the weekend, Ms Swaraj said that terrorism featured strongly in the conference narra-
Continued from P1 - tive and its eventual outcome, thus virtually rejecting criticism from the Opposition Congress that there was inadequate condemnation of Pakistan- sponsored terror in the final Goa Declaration. In a clear indication that the government was propping up regional grouping Bimstec for a more prominent role in the wake of a dysfunctional Saarc, Ms Swaraj said Bimstec “represents the polar opposite of a terrorism-promoting polity”, adding “their interface with Brics has a message in itself ”.
It may be recalled that the Goa Declaration adopted at the end of the Brics summit had “strongly condemned” terror attacks in India in India, besides strongly condemning terrorism in all its forms and also noted “the responsibility of all states to prevent terrorist actions from their territories”, but despite this, there had been criticism from the Opposition.
On Tuesday, Ms Swaraj said: “The selection of Bimstec as the outreach group for the Goa summit of Brics is also worth reflecting on. Members of Bimstec — Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Thailand — today represent the polar opposite of a terrorism promoting polity. They are focused on improving the quality of life of their people, on skills and employment, on education and health, and on the quality of governance and deepening of democracy. These are nations which are actively promoting connectivity, cooperation and contacts among themselves.
Their interface with Brics has a message in itself... That a world changing in a positive direction as reflected by Brics has its regional expression in a community like Bimstec, that is able to visualise a prosperous collective future.” In a clear pointer towards Pakistan, which has been stalling connectivity agreements within Saarc, the minister said: “There cannot be a greater contrast with those who reject even trade and connectivity for political reasons.”