Political convenience shouldn’t determine response to extremism, terror: Jaishankar’s veiled dig at Canada in UNGA speech

NEW DELHI: Amid India’s diplomatic row with Canada, external affairs minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday asked the UN member states not to allow “political convenience” to determine responses to “terrorism, extremism and violence.”
Jaishankar, who was addressing the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, said that respect for territorial integrity and non-interference in internal affairs cannot be “exercises in cherry-picking”.

“When reality departs from the rhetoric, we must have the courage to call it out,” the Union minister said.

The strong remarks come in the backdrop of ongoing diplomatic tensions between India and Canada following Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s allegations that Indian agents were involved in the killing of a Khalistani terrorist on his country’s soil.
As it happened: Jaishankar’s speech at UNGA
India has dismissed the allegations as “absurd” and called out Canada for not acting against Khalistani extermists operating from its soil.
During his address, Jaishankar said that the days when only a few nations set the agenda and expected others to fall in line are over.
He also spoke about global inclusiveness, recalling how the African Union was made the permanent member of G20 at India’s initiative, a move that gave “voice to an entire continent”.
“African Union’s inclusion in G20 should inspire United Nations to also make Security Council contemporary,” Jaishankar said, indirectly referring India’s bid to become a permanent member of the UNSC.
During his speech, Jaishankar also said the world must never again allow an injustice like vaccine apartheid to recur.
“Climate action too cannot continue to witness an evasion of historical responsibilities. The power of markets should not be utilized to steer food and energy from the needy to the wealthy,” he said.