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Sushma denies reports of asking Tharoor to draft resolution on Kulbhushan Jadhav's death sentence

Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav was sentenced to death by a military court in Pakistan on Monday.

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External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj today rubbished reports that Congress leader Shashi Tharoor will help the Narendra Modi government in drafting a statement on Kulbhushan Jadhav to be read out in Parliament. "There is no dearth of talent in my ministry. I have the assistance of very able secretaries," she said in curt tweet.

Reports has circulated saying Swaraj had asked Tharoor to help with drafting a resolution regarding the death sentence handed down to Kulbhushan Jadhav by a Pakistani military court. The resolution would reportedly be adopted by both houses.

Tharoor sought the permission party leader in the house Mallikarjun Kharge before agreeing to draft the resolution. He told NDTV, "This is a matter that affects us all." Tharoor has previously drafted a statement condemning Pakistan's freeing of Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, who was involved in the 2008 Mumbai terror attack, at the request of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

On Tuesday, India warned Pakistan that execution of the death sentence handed down to Kulbhushan Jadhav by a military court would be taken as "pre-meditated murder" and Islamabad should consider its consequences on bilateral relations. "There is no evidence of wrongdoing by Jadhav. If anything, he is the victim of a plan that seeks to cast aspersions on India to deflect international attention from Pakistan's well-known record of sponsoring and supporting terrorism," Swaraj said in an identical statement in both Houses of Parliament. "Under these circumstances, we have no choice but to regard the sentence, if carried out, as an act of pre-meditated murder," she said, adding that the sentence by the Pakistani Military Court was based on "concocted charges".

"Let me state clearly that the government and the people of India would view very seriously the possibility that an innocent Indian citizen is facing death sentence in Pakistan without due process and in violation of basic norms of law, justice and international relations. I would caution the Pakistan government to consider the consequences for our bilateral relationship if they proceed on this matter," Swaraj said categorically.

She said the process adopted by the Pakistani military court to award the death sentence "tells us a lot about the farcical nature of the alleged proceedings which have led to indefensible verdict against an innocent kidnapped Indian." Replying to a suggestion by Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, Swaraj said the government will not only ensure that Jadhav is provided with the best of lawyers in the Supreme Court of Pakistan, but will take up it with the President of Pakistan also. "Whatever is necessary, we will do," she said, adding that Jadhav was "not only the son of his parents, but is the son of India."

Swaraj said Jadhav was doing business in Iran and was kidnapped and taken to Pakistan. "The exact circumstances are unclear and can only be ascertained if we have consular access to him", which has been denied by the Pakistani authorities. "It is extraordinary that yesterday, a decision is suddenly announced awarding a death sentence in this case when previous exchanges with India iteslf underlines the insufficiency of evidence," the Minister said.

Tharoor on Monday had described the death sentence given to Jadhav as 'unacceptable' and suggested that both India and Pakistan should resolve the issue amicably. Tharoor told ANI,"An honest truth is that as far as India is concerned if the Pakistanis carry through such an action, then absolutely it is a very grave matter that should go for the highest escalation on our part."

On Monday afternoon, the Pakistan Military sentenced Jadhav to death, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement. "The spy was tried through Field General Court Martial (FGCM) under the Pakistan Army Act (PAA) and awarded the death sentence. Today Chief of Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa confirmed his death sentence awarded by FGCM," the ISPR said in the statement.

Strongly reacting to this, India summoned Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit and issued a demarche. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the Indian High Commission in Islamabad was not even informed about Jadhav's trial in court. The ministry added that the subsequent presence of Jadhav, who was kidnapped last year from Iran, has never been explained credibly by the Pakistani authorities. "If this sentence against an Indian citizen, awarded without observing basic norms of law and justice, is carried out, the Government and people of India will regard it as a case of premeditated murder," an official statement read.

In March 2016, the Ministry of External Affairs said that the former Indian naval officer was arrested by Pakistan for allegedly engaging in subversive activities was possibly kidnapped from Iran and denied any possibilities of him being involved in subversive activities in Pakistan. 

With agency inputs.

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