Hariprasad dares BJP to push Centre to declare Pakistan enemy nation

B.K. Hariprasad challenges BJP to urge the Centre to officially declare Pakistan an enemy nation amid ongoing diplomatic ties.

Senior Congress leader B.K. Hariprasad on Wednesday challenged the BJP to press the Centre to officially declare Pakistan an enemy nation, arguing that such a decision could be taken only through India’s foreign policy framework and not through political rhetoric.

Speaking during a discussion in the Legislative Council on the use of objectionable language, Mr. Hariprasad said that whether a country was an enemy nation could not be decided by individuals or political parties. “This country has a foreign policy. If Pakistan is an enemy nation, the Centre should declare it as such,” he said.

He pointed out that diplomatic ties with Pakistan continued, including the presence of embassies, and questioned how Pakistan could be labelled an “enemy nation” without severing such relations.

Responding to BJP member K.S. Naveen, who recalled Mr. Hariprasad’s earlier remarks describing Pakistan as a neighbouring country, he said India need not maintain any relationship with Pakistan if foreign policy so decided.

Mr. Hariprasad also said that China posed a greater threat to India, noting that the Union External Affairs Minister had acknowledged Chinese occupation of Indian territory.

Referring to the killing of 26 civilians in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, he said the Centre could have declared Pakistan an enemy nation then. However, he criticised the BJP for allowing sporting engagements, pointing out that Indian teams played cricket matches with Pakistan in Dubai even after the incident.