By Arul Louis
United Nations, Jun 15 (IANS): India's Permanent Representative Ruchira Kamboj has offered Pakistan the "utmost sympathy" for what she described as its mindset of ignorance and inability to comprehend the culture of peace.
In a voice dripping with sarcasm, she blew off a Pakistani attack on India at the General Assembly on Wednesday saying: "We have nothing but the utmost sympathy for such a mindset that utters falsehoods repeatedly, arising undeniably out of ignorance, and a total lack of appreciation for a culture of peace."
Although she did not name Pakistan, Kamboj said: "Most regrettably, we've heard some deeply distorted and inaccurate not to mention malicious remarks from a delegate."
The Permanent Representative said that she would not waste the Assembly's time with a response to Pakistan's remarks and advised the delegation to look at previous statements by India responding to its taunts.
"Our agenda will always be constructive, progressive and for the greater good of humanity. In the spirit of our civilization ethos, we remain committed to spread the message of humanity, democracy, peace and non-violence."
While speaking on the resolution on the culture of peace, Pakistan's Permanent Representative Munir Akram had brought up "Hindutva" as a threat to Muslims and Christians.
While his own country is constitutionally an Islamic state that curbs the rights of minorities, including members of some Muslim sects, and legally prescribes the death penalty for perceived slights to its official religion, Akram accused "the Sangh Parivar" of wanting to turn India into a Hindu state.
Kamboj's advice to refer to previous responses could, in addition to serious rebuttals, bring forth a flood of humour and lampoon that Indian diplomats have contemptuously wielded to de-fang Pakistan.
Pakistan, "the land of Taxila, one of the greatest learning centres of ancient times, is now host to the Ivy League of terrorism", was one of them.
On another occasion, an Indian diplomat called it "the country which is an arsonist disguising itself as a firefighter".
It was also called "Terroristan with a flourishing industry producing and exporting global terrorism".
After remarks by former Prime Minister Imran Khan about terrorism, an Indian diplomat wondered if he was referring to himself.