The recent Pulwama attack has triggered a massive outrage in the entire nation. Following the death of more than 40 CRPF personnel in a suicide explosion, the entire nation is seeking revenge against the handlers of this entire plan, currently hiding in Pakistan. Likewise, they’re also anticipating a positive result for India at the International Court of Justice, which is hearing the case of the ex-navy commander, Kulbhushan Jadhav, currently held in Pakistan over charges of ‘espionage’.
While advocate Harish Salve, representing India, minced no words in his criticism of the Pakistani allegations, the Indian diplomats made a gesture that went viral on the social media. According to news agency ANI, the Indian diplomats openly boycotted the Pakistanis, refusing to even shake hands with the Pakistani delegates present at the ICJ, as shown in the following tweet:-
The Hague (Netherlands): Government of India's agent Deepak Mittal, Joint Secretary, MEA and Pakistan's AG Anwar Mansoor Khan before the proceedings in Kulbhushan Jadhav case at the International Court of Justice. pic.twitter.com/QmZntyMFKG
— ANI (@ANI) February 18, 2019
Joint Secretary with Ministry of External Affairs Deepak Mittal was also present with the Indian delegation. According to the above-mentioned tweet, when Pakistani Attorney General Mansoor Khan came up and offered a handshake, Deepak Mittal refused the gesture in a polite but firm manner and responded with the Indian tradition of Namaste. The same was done by his colleague, who refused to shake hands with any of the Pakistani delegates.
For those unaware, Kulbhushan Jadhav is a retired navy officer who indulged in cargo trade in Iran. During one of such transactions, he was abducted by unidentified assailants and handed over to Pakistani authorities in 2015. Throwing all the ethics to the wind, a kangaroo court declared him guilty of spying for India and sentenced him to death. Following the arbitrary death sentence imposed, India approached the International Court of Justice, and successfully acquired a stay on the death sentence until a final verdict from ICJ is passed for the same.
To be honest, such a bold gesture that too at a diplomatic level, speaks volumes about the commitment that India is resorting to isolate Pakistan on the international stage. Despite multiple attacks committed by the Pakistani forces and terrorists on the Indian soil, Indian diplomats have been well known for their courteous gestures. However, the way that Deepak Mittal has responded to the handshake offered by the Pakistani delegates proves one thing for sure: India has stopped taking everything for granted.
This wasn’t the only insult Pakistan had to suffer on the opening day of the ICJ hearing. Harish Salve went hammer and tongs after Pakistan for arbitrarily holding Kulbhushan captive without proof. He exposed every chink in the Pakistani allegations that have been leveled against Kulbhushan Jadhav, as shown in the following tweets:-
Harish Salve in ICJ:India submits that military courts of Pakistan can't command the confidence of this court & shouldn't be sanctify by a direction to them to review & re-consider the case. India seeks annulment of Jadhav's conviction, & directions that he be released forthwith pic.twitter.com/UCx9tqwZE6
— ANI (@ANI) February 18, 2019
H Salve: India invites court to restrain Pak from acting on conviction on ground that it was secured by means which was in violation of Article 36 of Vienna Convention&in the present case,relief of review&re-consideration would be highly inadequate,considering facts&circumstances pic.twitter.com/WAKaFdqEVS
— ANI (@ANI) February 18, 2019
H Salve: Pakistan's conduct doesn't inspire confidence that Jadhav can get justice there. Pakistan has in custody an Indian National who has been publicly portrayed to be a terrorist&Indian agent creating unrest in Balochistan…Pak used Jadhav to build a narrative against India pic.twitter.com/edYvSZnhJ8
— ANI (@ANI) February 18, 2019
Harish Salve representing Kulbhushan Jadhav in International Court of Justice: I would invite this court to keep in mind the relief to be granted in the backdrop of the fact that his trial has been conducted by a military court pic.twitter.com/0gM8obyP8d
— ANI (@ANI) February 18, 2019
Harish Salve representing Kulbhushan Jadhav in International Court of Justice: If article 36 grants rights of consular access in all cases including where allegations of such kind are leveled, then demanding those can't be an abuse of those rights. pic.twitter.com/ftUtZrpT0H
— ANI (@ANI) February 18, 2019
It is heartening to see that the entire nation has taken a firm stand against Pakistan. The bold gesture of avoiding a handshake with the Pakistani delegates is suggestive of the fact that India is in no mood to let Pakistan go away with the kind of sin it has committed this time.
