Naidu slams Pakistan for ‘inhuman’ treatment to Jadhav’s mother, wife

New Delhi, Dec 27 (IANS) Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu on Wednesday slammed Pakistan for its "inhuman" handling of the meeting between Kulbhushan Jadhav and his family in Islamabad, saying it had hurt the sentiments of Indians.

Naidu said that India seeks peace in the region for the benefit of all the countries but "some are adopting a different approach".

He noted that Pakistani authorities' insisting on removal of 'mangalsutra' by Jadhav's wife and other restrictions did not go down well with the people of India.

"Pakistan did not do any good for itself in this regard even as it sought to showcase its gesture by allowing the family union to the world," Naidu said during an interaction with faculty and students from Harvard, Stanford and MIT.

During the 40 minute interaction, Naidu responded to queries on India's strengths, opportunities and challenges besides its emergence as a global power, a statement said.

The Vice President noted that Indian voters had shown great maturity from time to time while casting their vote as was evident in their fierce defence of personal freedoms by voting against the Emergency in 1977.

He observed that after long years of single party rule at the Centre, India transited through coalition governments till the people gave an absolute majority to the present government in 2014.

"India faces the challenges of inequality, rural-urban divide, unemployment, border issues, poverty and illiteracy. The ruling and opposition parties need to work together with shared perspectives for further strengthening parliamentary democracy," Naidu said.

He stated that the mood of the young and aspirational India was in favour of 'development and reforms' and the government had taken several initiatives in this regard, as was evident in the introduction of GST and demonetisation.

Responding to a query on India's role in global politics vis-a-vis some leading countries, Naidu stated that as one of the oldest civilisations which accounted for 27 per cent of world's GDP before foreign invasions, India never believed in hegemony and would only like to harness its potential as an economic power-house that benefits the people of India and other countries as well.

"India would like to take full advantage of its huge man-power through necessary skill upgradation and empowerment," he said.