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PM Modi, at the SCO Summit in China, called terrorism the “gravest concern” for humanity and urged zero tolerance against it.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi (File/PTI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in China on Monday, strongly condemned terrorism and called it the “gravest concern” for humanity, as he warned against double standards in the global fight.
Making a reference to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 lives, PM Modi asked, “Can open support for terrorism by some countries ever be acceptable to us?”
“The Pahalgam terror attack was not just an attack on India’s soul but an open challenge to all those countries that have faith in humanity. It raises a serious question – should a country openly supporting terrorism be acceptable to any of us?”
“We must state clearly that no double standards will be tolerated in the fight against terrorism,” PM Modi said, as Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was present at the event.
The Prime Minister also urged the SCO group to adopt zero tolerance against terrorism.
“Terrorism and extremism are a joint challenge for humanity. Any country, any society cannot feel safe while these threats exist,” PM Modi said, stressing that security is every country’s right.
“India has taken the lead in the fight against terror outfits like Al-Qaeda and its associates, and we oppose any kind of terror-financing,” PM Modi said.
Speaking further on the Pahalgam terror attack, PM Modi said, “We saw a very bad face of terrorism in Pahalgam. I thank all the friendly nations who stood with us.”
“We have lost our children, and many have become orphans. India has been facing the scourge of terrorism for the past four decades,” he added.
Calling terror financing a “big concern”, the Prime Minister urged SCO members to intensify efforts to counter radicalisation.
“There can be no compromise on terrorism. We must condemn it in all forms. Zero tolerance against cross-border terrorism is our duty towards humanity,” PM Modi said.
Before the beginning of the summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with other leaders of the organisation, began a day-long deliberation to chalk out the future course of the bloc.
Chinese President Xi Jinping welcomed the leaders.
The 25th summit formally kicked off in Tianjin on Sunday night with a massive banquet hosted by Xi. It was attended, among others, by Prime Minister Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
This year’s summit was stated to be the largest of the SCO group as China, which holds the Presidency of the organisation this year, invited 20 foreign leaders and 10 heads of international organisations, including UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, to attend the SCO Plus summit.
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Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks.
Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks.
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