External Affairs minister Sushma Swaraj slams Pakistan saying it showed neither humanity nor sensitivity in its behaviour with Kulbhushan Jadhav's family.

Rising in the Rajya Sabha to make the statement, an assertive Sushma Swaraj said:

"The meeting between a mother and her son, a wife and her husband after going through so much was turned into an exercise of propaganda and an opportunity to exploit the situation.

"Kulbhushan Jadhav's mother wasn't permitted to speak in Marathi to Jadhav, their conversation was interrupted.

"In the name of security their clothes were changed and Jadhav's mother who wears a sari was asked to wear a 'salwar kameez'. Bindi, Mangalsutra, Bangles were removed too. I called his mother in the morning before making this statement in Parliament and confirmed this.

"The manner in which the meeting was organised was appalling Both mother and wife were presented as widows in front of Mr Jadhav.

"The first thing Mr Jadhav asked his mother was if his father was OK, since his mother wasn't wearing her bindi or mangalsutra.

"Even after her repeated requests, the shoes of Kulbhushan Jadhav's wife were not returned. Pakistan says there was a camera or a recorder in the shoes, nothing can be more absurd than this as she traveled in two flights with those shoes on. It is an absurdity beyond measure.

"By Jadhav's conversation and tone it is obvious that he was pressurized by Pakistani officials and also that his health wasn't fine.

The meeting with Jadhav and his family was facilitated by political channels.

"This meet could have been a step forward but it is regrettable that this meeting was turned into a propaganda. We have conveyed to Pakistan about our displeasure.

"It was nothing like a humanitarian gesture. Human rights of the family members were violated again and again and an environment of fear was created for them.

"Pakistan had promised that the press would be kept away from the mother and wife, but they were in fact allowed near them and they were heckled and were allowed to harass them mercilessly." 


Image: Kulbhushan Jadhav's mother and wife, tweeted by Pakistan's foreign office.