‘India an IT superpower, Pakistan a terror factory’: 5 key points from Sushma Swaraj’s UNGA speech

External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj on Saturday responded to Pakistan’s allegations at the United Nations General Assembly that New Delhi was involved in state-sponsored terrorism and widespread human rights violations, calling it an “export factory of terror”.

Swaraj, who addressed the world leaders in Hindi, also spoke about the significance of mitigating global warming, international cooperation and demonetisation. (HIGHLIGHTS)

Here are the key takeaways from Swaraj’s speech in New York:

‘India an IT superpower, Pakistan an export factory of terror’

India responded with irritation to Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi’s allegations of brutality in Kashmir, saying that while India had made substantial progress since Independence but all Pakistan had achieved was a reputation as the “pre-eminent export factory for terror”.

“Why is it that today India is a recognised IT superpower in the world, and Pakistan is recognised only as the pre-eminent export factory for terror?... We have marched ahead, consistently, without pause” and created IITs, IIMs and AIIMS and “produced scholars, doctors, engineers and scientists.”

“Those listening had only one observation: ‘Look who’s talking!’,” Swaraj said, adding: “A country that has been the world’s greatest exporter of havoc, death and inhumanity became a champion of hypocrisy by preaching about humanity from this podium.”

Condemning terrorism has become a ‘ritual’

Without naming China in this context, Swaraj referred to Beijing’s efforts blocking the UN designation of JeM chief Masood Azhar and asked and asked, “If even the UN Security Council cannot agree on the listing of terrorists, how can we fight together?”

“We have been the oldest victims of this terrible and even traumatic terrorism. When we began articulating about this menace, many of the world’s big powers dismissed this as a law and order issue. Now they know better. The question is: what do we do about it?”

“We must all introspect and ask ourselves whether our talk is anywhere close to the action we take. We all condemn this evil, and piously resolve to fight it in all our declaratory statements. The truth is that these have become rituals,” she said.

‘Nature’s warning’: Climate change

Swaraj said that it was not just mere coincidence that the world has witnessed hurricanes, earthquakes, rains that inundate storms which terrify. “Nature sent its warning to the world even before the world’s leadership gathered in New York at the United Nations through Harvey,” the external affairs minister said, referring to the deadly Hurricane Harvey that hit the US in August.

“We must understand, this requires more serious action than talk. The developed world must listen more carefully than others, because it has more capacities than others.It must help the less fortunate through technology transfer and Green Climate Financing -- that is the only way to save future generations,” Swaraj said.

US President Donald Trump had withdrawn from the Paris climate agreement in June, saying that countries like China and India are benefiting the most from the accord that was unfair to the US as it badly hit its businesses and jobs.

Demonetisation

On the podium, Swaraj spoke about India’s economic policies and said demonetisation was a “courageous” decision taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to challenge black money.

“Demonetisation was a courageous decision to challenge one of the by-products of corruption, the ‘black money’ that disappeared from circulation.”

Nuclear proliferation

Swaraj also warned the international community that nuclear proliferation is again making headlines.

“Nuclear proliferation is back in the zone of dangerous headlines. Cyber security has become a source of deep insecurity,” Swaraj said in an apparent reference to the continued provocative behaviour of North Korea, which has been carrying out missile tests and nuclear tests in violation of the UN Security Council resolution.

(With agency inputs)