We build IITs, you terror factory: Highlights of Sushma's Pak attack at UN

Responding to Pakistan’s allegations of India indulging in state-sponsored terrorism and violating human rights in Kashmir, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj launched a stinging attack on the neighbour country, calling it an “export factory of terror”.

There was some laughter when she derisively said the world reacted with, "Look who is talking!" after Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abassi accused India of state-sponsored terrorism.

The external affairs minister was speaking at the 72nd session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) meet on Saturday. She said while India had created IITs, IIMs and AIIMS -- referring to some of the premiere educationa; institutions in the country -- Pakistan had produced Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad, the Haqqani network and Hizbul Mujahideen.

Swaraj, who addressed the world leaders in Hindi, also discussed the importance of the demonetisation drive, international cooperation and alleviating global warming.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted in praise: 

Incredible speech by EAM @SushmaSwaraj at the @UN! She has made India extremely proud at the world stage. https://t.co/nLI2CC2VBj #UNGA

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 23, 2017

A strong message was given by @SushmaSwaraj Ji on the dangers of terrorism and why we have to unite and fight this menace. #UNGA

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 23, 2017

Here are the highlights of Swaraj's speech at the UN:

Pakistan a terror factory

"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.

"India has risen despite being the principal destination of Pakistan's nefarious export of terrorism." 

Achievements since the two nation's democracy

Complimenting previous Indian governments, included almost 60 years under the Congress, Swaraj declared: "Every government has done its bit for India's development. We have marched ahead, consistently, without pause -- in education, health and across the range of human welfare. We have produced scholars, doctors, engineers.

"Doctors save people from death, terrorists send them to death," she said contrasting the achievements of the two neighbours birthed a day part in 1947. 

Hitting back at Pakistan's allegations

"He (Prime Minister Abbasi) accused India of state-sponsored terrorism, and of violating human rights. Those listening had only one observation: "Look who's talking!" 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."
 

On India-Pakistan ties:

"Pakistan's Prime Minister claimed that his nation's founder Mohammad Ali Jinnah had bequeathed a foreign policy based on peace and friendship. I would like to remind him that while it remains open to question whether Jinnah Sahab actually advocated such principles, what is beyond doubt is that India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi has, from the moment he took his oath of office, offered the hand of peace, and friendship. Pakistan's Prime Minister must answer why his nation spurned this offer."

Taking a dig at Donald Trump

In a dig at President Donald Trump that India had been given inducement to sign the agreement, she said India "is deeply committed" to it "not because we are afraid of any power, influenced by friend or foe, or tempted by some imagined, greed" but because it "is an outcome of a philosophy that is at least 5,000 years old".

From demonetisation to GST, India's reforms

While presenting a report card of domestic achievements, she showcased the demonetisation and the GST among the BJP government's achievements.

"Demonetisation was a courageous decision to challenge one of the by-products of corruption, the 'black money' that disappeared from circulation."

GST introduced "one-tax across the country, without the untidy and punishing system of multiple taxes under differing categories in different parts of the country," she said.

Among social programmes, she said the "Save the girl, Educate the girl'" campaign is reducing gender inequality, while the Swachh programme is generating "a revolutionary change in social attitudes and habits."

The scope of the Jan Dhan programme of opening bank accounts for 300 million people — about the size of the United States population — made it "the world's largest financial inclusion scheme," she said.

World is trapped in a deluge of troubles of which the most dangerous is the relentless rise of violence and terrorism, and the ideas that promote them are spreading.

Climate change threatens the world and developed countries have to step up to help the developing countries deal with it.

Nuclear proliferation has re-emerged as a global threat (reference to North Korea).

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has chosen "the more radical route" of fighting poverty by empowering the poor, ho had been denied opportunities, instead of the traditional method of "incremental levels of aid and hand-holding."

In an unusual gesture to the Opposition, especially the Congress party, Swaraj acknowledged, "Every government has done its bit for India's development."

More than 160 countries support text-based negotiations on the reform and expansion of the Security Council and adopting it and continuing with the reform efforts should be a priority.

Terrorism is the top problem for the UN and the Comprehensive Compact on International Terrorism should be adopted.

If the Security Council cannot agree on the listing of terrorists, the world can't fight terror. Stop seeing this evil with self-defeating and indeed meaningless nuance.

UN resolutions have been overtaken by history and bilateral negotiations are the only way forward.

She ended her speech with a Sanskrit shloka: "May all be happy; May all be healthy; May all see what is good; May all be free from suffering."