UNGA Indian diplomat Bhavika Mangalanandan
UNGA Indian diplomat Bhavika Mangalanandan

India harshly criticized Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for his remarks on Kashmir at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Friday, calling them “hypocrisy at its worst,” in a forceful Right to Reply.

In response to Shehbaz Sharif bringing up the subject of Jammu and Kashmir during his speech during the General Debate of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly, India used its right of reply in the assembly on Friday.

A military-run government with a reputation for terrorism, drugs, commerce, and transnational crime has the “audacity to attack the world’s largest democracy,” Indian diplomat Bhavika Mangalanandan warned during a UNGA session.

“This assembly regrettably witnessed a travesty this morning. I speak about the reference to India in the speech of the Pakistani PM. As the world knows, Pakistan has long employed cross-border terrorism as a weapon against its neighbours. It has attacked our parliament, our financial capital, Mumbai, marketplaces and pilgrimage roots. The list is long. For such a country to speak about violence anywhere is hypocrisy at its worst. It is even more extraordinary for a country with a history of rigged elections to talk about political choices that, too, in a democracy,” the Indian diplomat stated.

“The actual reality is that Pakistan lusts for our territory and has persistently employed terrorism to sabotage elections in Jammu and Kashmir, an intrinsic and fundamental aspect of India,” Bhavika Mangalanandan continued.

India issued a warning to its neighbour, Pakistan, stating that cross-border terrorism against the country will “inevitably invite consequences.”

“It is ridiculous that a nation that committed genocide in 1971 and which persecuted its minorities relentlessly even now, dare speak about intolerances and phobias. The world can see for itself what Pakistan really is. We are talking about a nation that for long hosted Osama bin Laden. A country whose fingerprints are on so many terrorist incidents across the world, whose policies attract the dregs of many societies to make it their home,” she further added.

The ambassador referred to Sharif’s comments regarding Kashmir as “unacceptable” and stated that Pakistan will try to refute the truth with more lies.

Nothing will change with repetition. We don’t need to reiterate our position; that is evident,” Bhavika Mangalanandan stated.

Pakistan has persistently brought up the Kashmir dispute on a number of UN forums, despite receiving no backing for its claims. Jammu & Kashmir as well as Ladakh, according to India, are and always will be an essential component of the nation.