Parliament unanimously condemns award of death sentence to Kulbhushan Jadhav; External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj makes statement in both houses; Calls charges concocted and farcical; Cautions Pakistan to consider its consequences for bilateral relationship.

The issue of death sentence to Kulbhushan Jadhav by Pakistan, was raised in Parliament today. Both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha expressed solidarity with Jadhav and his family. MPs across party lines said they wholeheartedly support the government on the issue.

Speaking in Rajya Sabha External affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj strongly condemned Pakistan’s act. Cautioning Pakistan Sushma Swaraj said that the move will have adverse repercussions on bilateral ties between the two countries.

Speaking on the issue in Lok Sabha, Home Minister Rajnath Singh rubbished Pakistan’s claim that Jadhav was a spy.

He also assured the House that the Government will do all that it can to ensure Jhadav gets justice.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor urged the government to take the unity of the House and the nation on the issue to the international level, given that Pakistan had clearly violated international law and convention while handing out the death sentence to Jadhav.

BJP MP Anurag Thakur reminded the House that this was not the first such act by Pakistan and called on it to condemn the move.

NCP MP Tariq Anwar said that Pakistan was resorting to diversionary tactics to cover up its ill intentions towards India.

Defence experts have termed Kulbhushan Jadhav’s death sentence by Pakistan as a heinous act.

Reacting strongly, to the death sentence awarded to Kulbhushan Jadhav, India said it will consider it a “premeditated murder” if Pakistan carries out the death sentence, “without observing basic norms of law and justice”.

Foreign Secretary Dr S Jaishankar summoned Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit to issue a demarche to Pakistan. Jaishankar said, the proceedings that have led to the sentence against Jadhav do not have any credible evidence against him.

The claim in the Inter Services Public Relations release, that Jadhav was provided with a defending officer during the so-called trial is clearly absurd in the circumstances.

The Foreign Secretary said, Jadhav was kidnapped last year from Iran and his subsequent presence in Pakistan has never been explained credibly.

Kulbhushan Jadhav, an Indian citizen, was awarded a death sentence by a Pakistani military court martial on Monday for alleged espionage.