Rahul Gandhi episode exposed true face of fascist Modi govt: FM Qureshi

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi slammed the Modi government for arresting and sending back Congress Party chief Rahul Gandhi, saying that it exposed the true face of the fascist Modi government.

Speaking at a press conference today, the foreign minister said that it was unfortunate how Modi was carrying on about Kashmir. He said that Rahul Gandhi’s arrest had exposed the true face of the Modi government.

“If this is how they treat their own, what expectation does Pakistan have?” he asked.

Qureshi was referring to the earlier incident at Srinagar airport involving Congress Party chief Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders. Mr Gandhi and the rest of the 11-member opposition delegation were stopped at Srinagar airport and placed on the next flight to New Delhi.

“This is the true face of the Modi government which has been exposed to the world today,” he said.

Qureshi said that Kashmiris were being denied their basic rights in the disputed territory. He said that Muslims were not allowed to pray in mosques on Friday which were locked up.

“Praying Friday prayers is the fundamental right of every Muslim in the world,” he said. “The UN must take notice of this fascism.”

Qureshi said that it was his aim to take up the issue of Kashmir, as the curfew-like restrictions imposed in the occupied valley continued on for a 20th day.

“I have spoken to UN chief Antonio Guterres and thanked him for his politically and legally sound statement,” he said.
Qureshi said that the message from the closed-door meeting of the United Nations Security Council had been that the issue should be resolved peacefully.

“The UN and the world must realize that the issue should be solved peacefully but on the other hand, it is the 20th day that the curfew has been imposed,” he said.

Qureshi said that he spoke to the UN chief about a number of issues related to Kashmir.

“I also talked about the human rights violations, thousands of detentions, food shortages, medicine shortages because I feel his voice has weight. This is such an organisation. When the secretary general of the United Nations gives a statement, it has moral weightage. And the world listens,” he said.