New Delhi [India], July 28 : External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressed the Lok Sabha during a discussion on Operation Sindoor, outlining India's diplomatic efforts and taking sharp aim at the Opposition.
Speaking on India's approach in the aftermath of the attack, Jaishankar said the focus of Indian diplomacy was the United Nations Security Council.
"The focus for our diplomacy was the UN Security Council. The challenge for us was that at this particular point, Pakistan is a member of the Security Council and we (India) are not (at that time)..." he said.
Jaishankar highlighted India's key objectives at the UN body.
India aimed to secure the Council's endorsement for holding Pakistan accountable for cross-border terrorism. and to bring to justice those who perpetrated this attack. He expressed hope that the House acknowledges the efforts made in this regard.
"Our goals in the Security Council were two: 1- to get an endorsement from the Security Council of the need for accountability, and 2- to bring to justice those who perpetrated this attack," Jaishankar said.
He noted the April 25 statement issued by the Security Council and said India's goals were met.
"I am glad to say that if you look at the Security Council statement of 25th April, the members of the Security Council condemned in the strongest terms the terrorist attack. They affirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security," Jaishankar said.
He further added that the statement marked an important step in holding those responsible accountable.
"And most importantly, the Council underlined the need to hold the perpetrators, organisers, financers and sponsors of this reprehensible act of terrorism accountable and bring them to justice..."
During the same discussion, Union Home Minister Amit Shah strongly criticised the Opposition for undermining India's own leadership.
"...I have an objection that they (Opposition) don't have faith in an Indian Foreign Minister but they have faith in some other country. I can understand the importance of foreign in their party. But this doesn't mean that all the things of their party should be imposed here in the House," Shah said.
Taking a direct political jab, he said the Opposition's approach was the reason they continued to sit on the other side of the aisle.
"This is the reason why they are sitting there (opposition benches), and will remain sitting there for the next 20 years..."