India on Tuesday strongly rejected Pakistan's criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks on New Delhi's attempts to foster peace with Islamabad during a podcast with American podcaster Lex Fridman. New Delhi's response came a day after Pakistan called PM Modi's remarks that every attempt to foster peace was met with hostility and betrayal "misleading and one-sided". In an official statement, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said Pakistan was the "biggest roadblock" to peace and security in the region and lashed out at Islamabad for "spreading lies". The MEA statement also said that Pakistan should vacate Indian territory under its illegal and forcible occupation.
Without referring to Pakistan and its criticism of PM Modi's podcast, Jaiswal said, "We note that Pakistan has once again made some comments about the Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The world knows that the real issue is Pakistan’s active promotion and sponsorship of cross-border terrorism. In fact, this is the biggest roadblock to peace and security in the region. Instead of spreading lies, Pakistan should vacate Indian territory under its illegal and forcible occupation."
India's hard-hitting response assumed significance after US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who is in India, categorically mentioned "Islamist terrorism" when asked about Pakistan-sponsored attacks against India in an interview with news agency .
She said "Islamist terrorism" was a threat that has affected both India and the US as well as several countries in the Middle East.
PM Modi on Monday met Gabbard and said both India and the US were committed to combating terrorism and enhancing maritime and cybersecurity cooperation.
PM MODI SHREDS PAKISTAN IN PODCAST
In a podcast with Fridman released on Sunday, PM Modi lashed out at Pakistan, saying it had been waging a proxy war against India.On Sunday, PM Modi told Fridman in his over-three-hour-long podcast that Pakistan had been waging a proxy war against India. He expressed hope that wisdom would prevail in the leadership in Islamabad to improve bilateral ties.
"They chose not to foster a harmonious coexistence. Time and again, they decided to be at odds with India. They have waged a proxy war against us. Don't mistake this for ideology," he said when asked about the strained ties with Pakistan and whether he saw a path to friendship and peace.
PM Modi recalled that he invited then-Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to attend his swearing-in ceremony in 2014 to "turn a new leaf" in the tumultuous India-Pakistan relations.
"When I invited my Pakistani counterpart to my swearing-in, it was a gesture of goodwill. It was a diplomatic gesture unlike any in decades. The very people who once questioned my approach to foreign policy were taken aback when they learnt I had invited all Saarc heads of state. Yet, every noble attempt at fostering peace was met with hostility and betrayal," he said.
India has repeatedly told Pakistan to stop cross-border terrorism and that talks can only go ahead in an atmosphere free of violence, terrorism and coercion.
PAKISTAN ON PM MODI'S PODCAST REMARKS
Pakistan's Foreign Office on Monday issued a statement, calling PM Modi's remarks in the podcast on Pakistan thwarting India's peace attempts "misleading and one-sided", news agency PTI reported.It alleged that India was involved in fomenting trouble on Pakistani soil and carrying out "state-sanctioned oppression" in Jammu and Kashmir. It also accused India of "orchestrating targeted assassinations, subversion and terrorism in foreign territories".
It said the alleged "anti-Pakistan narrative" emanating from India vitiated the bilateral environment and impeded the prospects for peace and cooperation, adding that "it must stop".
India has repeatedly told Pakistan that Jammu and Kashmir "was, is and shall forever" remain an integral part of the country.
Ties between the two neighbours nosedived and the bilateral trade stopped after India scrapped Article 370 of the Constitution, revoking the special status of the state of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcating it into two Union Territories on August 5, 2019.