India hits back at Pak, says Kulbhushan Jadhav’s statement clearly tutored and designed to perpetuate false narrative

A day after the wife and the mother of Indian Naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav met him in Islamabad, India on Tuesday took serious objection to the conduct of Pakistani officials and the way they arranged the meeting, disregarding all “sensibilities”.

A statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the exercise lacked credibility and during the meeting, Jadhav was under considerable stress and speaking in an atmosphere of coercion. “Most of his remarks were clearly tutored and designed to perpetuate the false narrative of his alleged activities in Pakistan,” it read.

Pakistan’s public relations pitch, coming ahead of the hearing of India’s appeal against Jadhav’s death sentence in the top UN court, the International Court of Justice, began to reach new heights when its Foreign Office made the meeting of the death-row prisoner with his mother Avanti and wife Chetana a media spectacle.

It also used the occasion to release his second video and a medical report, declaring him healthy and fit.

In a strongly worded statement, the MEA said that not only was the Pakistani media unleashed to harass the visiting relatives, but prior to the meeting, their cultural and religious sensibilities were also disregarded by forcing them to remove the mangal sutra, bangles, and bindis. They were also told to change their attire and take off their shoes. After the meeting, despite requests, Chetana’s shoes were not returned.

Meanwhile, earlier in the morning, both women met External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj at her residence. Jadhav’s faher also accompanied them. Among others, Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar and India’s deputy high commissioner in Islamabad, JP Singh, also attended the brief meeting. Both women later went to the Jawaharlal Nehru Bhawan, the offices of MEA, for debriefing sessions.

Narrating the sequence of events, the MEA statement said that prior to the meeting, through the diplomatic channels, the two had worked out the modalities and format of the meeting. “There was a clear understanding between the two sides and the Indian side scrupulously abided by all its commitments,” it said. The MEA noted with regret that the Pakistani side conducted the meeting in a manner that violated the letter and the spirit of this understanding.

“The Pakistani press was allowed, on multiple occasions, to approach family members closely, harass them, and hurl false and motivated accusations about Shri Jadhav. This was despite a clear agreement that the media would not be allowed close access,” the statement added.

Further, the Avanti was prevented from talking in her mother tongue, Marathi, although this was clearly the natural medium of communication. During the meeting, she was repeatedly interrupted and eventually prevented from proceeding further in this regard. India’s deputy high commissioner, JP Singh, who was tasked to accompany the family members in the alien land, was initially separated from them. Once inside the Foreign Office building, they were taken to the meeting without informing Singh. The meeting started without his presence. He was allowed to join only after he protested. Even then, he was kept behind an additional partition that did not allow him access to the meeting, as agreed earlier.

The height of insensitivity didn’t stop here. Despite repeated requests, Chetana’s shoes were not returned to her after the meeting.

“From the feedback that we received, it appears that Shri Jadhav was under considerable stress and speaking in an atmosphere of coercion. His appearance also raises questions about his health and well being,” the statement added, rejecting the video played by the Pakistan Foreign Office.

“We also regret that contrary to assurances, the overall atmosphere of the meeting was intimidating, in so far as the family members were concerned. They, however, handled the situation with great courage and fortitude. The manner in which the meeting was conducted and its aftermath was clearly an attempt to bolster a false and unsubstantiated narrative of Shri Jadhav’s alleged activities. You would all agree that this exercise lacked any credibility,” the statement read.

Also, despite India’s request and agreed protocol, the vehicle carrying Jadhav’s family was parked near the media enclave set up to cover the event. Pakistani media persons shouted unreasonable and unwarranted questions to Jadhav’s ailing mother, such as: “Do you agree with the confessions of your son? You are mother of a terrorist, reply to questions. Why are you running away? Your son is a murderer of hundreds of Pakistanis.. Are you tutored?”

Before taking them to the meeting room, they were taken to a bathroom and asked to wash their faces and change clothes. Thereafter, there were taken back to the lawns of Aga Shahi Block of Pakistan Foreign Office, where a container was parked. It was divided into three parts and had two doors. The three parts were separated by bullet-proof glass wall.

In one part, Kulbhushan was made to sit. In another one, the family and a woman Pakistani officer were sitting. The third portion was reserved for Singh and Pakistan FO director, South Asia, Fareeha Bugti. In this portion, the conversation could not be heard. Jadhav’s mother had brought a shawl with her as a gift but it is yet to be delivered to the prisoner.

After the meeting, when the family was coming out, it came to know that the Indian High Commission vehicle in which they had arrived had been removed from the porch and a Pakistani government vehicle had been kept ready to transport them back to the High Commission. This vehicle was also kept at a distance. This again gave the Pakistani media a chance to pounce upon the hapless family.

This is when Singh lost his cool and led the family back into the FO building, and demanded that a vehicle be brought to the porch. When they left, a section of Pakistani media was so enraged that they started sloganeering.