External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Friday slammed the leaders who called China's move to block banning Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) chief Masood Azhar at the UNSC a "diplomatic failure" of India, saying that they can witness that the nation was alone when the move was first made in 2009 under the UPA rule, while it has worldwide support in 2019.
She added that India has secured unprecedented support from the international community on this move.
Her comments come after Congress took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi terming him a "weak" leader and calling his foreign policy "a series of diplomatic disasters".
Taking to Twitter, Swaraj shared the details and listed the number of times that China has blocked India's move to ban Azhar in the UN Security Council as a global terrorist.
"In 2019, the proposal was moved by USA, France, and the UK and supported by 14 of the 15 UN Security Council Members and also co-sponsored by Australia, Bangladesh, Italy, and Japan - non-members of the Security Council. In 2017, USA, UK, and France moved the proposal. In 2016, India's proposal was co-sponsored by USA, France, and the UK. In 2009, India under the UPA Government was the lone proposer. I wish to apprise you of the facts regarding the listing of Masood Azhar under the United Nations Sanctions Committee. The proposal has been mooted four times," tweeted Swaraj.
"I have shared these facts with you so that leaders who describe this as our diplomatic failure may see for themselves that in 2009, India was alone. In 2019, India has worldwide support. Thus, we have secured unprecedented support from the international community for the listing of Masood Azhar under the UN Sanctions Committee," added Swaraj.
China on Wednesday for the fourth time blocked the bid in the UNSC to designate the chief of the Pakistan-based terror group as a "global terrorist" by putting a technical hold on the proposal. India termed the move of China as "disappointing".
Reacting to China's move, Congress president Rahul Gandhi took a jibe at PM Modi saying that the PM was "weak" and "scared" of Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Party chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala retorted, "Sadly, Modiji's foreign policy has been a series of diplomatic disasters," the party spokesperson said.
