Kulbhushan Jadhav sentencing: India warns Pakistan of consequences, vows to bring him back

New Delhi: Sending out a strong message to Pakistan, India on Tuesday warned of serious consequences if authorities there went on to execute Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav on charges of being a Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) spy. 

Speaking on the matter in Rajya Sabha, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said, ''There is no evidence of any wrongdoing by Kulbhushan Jadhav. The charges pressed against him are ridiculous.''

Condemning Pakistan government's move to award death sentence to him, EAM Swaraj said, ''This is an act of premeditated murder by Pakistan.''

Warning Pakistan, the EAM said, ''I would caution Pakistan govt to consider the consequences for our bilateral relationship if they proceed on this matter.''

Calling Kulbhushan Jadhav as Hindustan ka beta, EAM  Swaraj said, ''we will go out of the way to save him.''

She said the government would appeal to the Supreme Court of Pakistan and would petition the President of the country to save "the son of the nation".

The entire House is one and is standing with the government in whatever decision it takes, Rajya Sabha deputy chairman PJ Kurien assured Sushma Swaraj.

Earlier, Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said New Delhi will do everything required to secure justice for Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav, who has been sentenced to death in Pakistan.

"We condemn this act of Pakistan. I would like to assure the house that whatever needs to be done to provide justice to Jadhav, we will do," Rajnath Singh told the Lok Sabha.

Singh said that Pakistan ignored "basic norms of law and justice" in sentencing Jadhav.

According to Singh, Jadhav was kidnapped from Tehran and cannot be a spy as claimed by Pakistan.

"Jadhav was produced as an Indian spy in front of the Pakistani media," Singh said.

"Pakistan has said a valid Indian passport has been found from Jadhav. If he was having a valid passport, how can he be a spy? This question does not arise," the minister said.

Importantly, the MPs unanimously condemned Pakistan's decision to award death sentence to Kulbhushan Jadhav and urged the government to take every step to save his life.

Raising the matter during Question Hour, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said if Pakistan hangs Jadhav it will be a "pre-planned murder".

"No one was allowed to meet Jadhav. He was not even provided a lawyer to fight his case. No international norms were followed," Kharge said.

"If Jadhav is hanged, India should have the courage to retaliate in the same way," he added.

According to Kharge, if Prime Minister Narendra Modi can visit Pakistan without any invitation, why cannot he go to talk over the issue of Jadhav.

"The government should take every step to save Jadhav. If he can't be saved, it will prove this to be a weak government," Kharge said.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister accused Kharge of doing politics over the issue.

"You should not do such a low politics over the issue," Kumar said.

BJP member Nishikant Dubey demanded a resolution be passed in the House to declare Pakistan a terrorist nation.

He said that India has cornered Pakistan on the issue of terrorism and that is the reason the neighbouring country is trying to demean Indian.

Reacting to the issue, AIMIM member Asaduddin Owaisi said, "India should do everything to save Jadhav. The military court of Pakistan, which has given death sentence to Jadhav is a banana court as it takes decision without any evidence. India should use every international forum to save him."

Condemning the act of Pakistan TMC member Saugata Roy also praised India's stand over the issue.

"Pakistan is taking vindictive action against India and Indians. The government should take every step to save the life of Jadhav," he said.

Describing Pakistan as not a normal country, BJD's B.J. Panda said that India should approach the world court and United Nations over the issue of Jadhav.

"Pakistan is not a normal nation. It is run by the military establishment and they are deliberately trying to destabilize our country by such acts," he said.