NEW DELHI: Union Minister Ramdas Athawale today said Pakistan should revoke the death sentence awarded to former Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav and sought the intervention of the UN and the US in the case.
Strongly condemning Pakistan for its "inhumane" move, Athawale said the country was indulging in high-handedness and spreading terrorism in the world and thus "should be declared a terror state".
"The UN and countries like the US should intervene in this case which is a blatant example of inhumanity. Just because he had an Indian passport, Pakistan cannot suspect him of espionage and should revoke the death sentence it has awarded him," he said.
The Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment also lauded the coming together of parliamentarians in both Houses on the matter, saying, "When it comes to support an Indian cause, all politicians cutting across party lines come together unitedly and it was proved yesterday."
India has said it will go "out of way" to ensure justice to Jadhav and warned Pakistan that his execution will affect the bilateral ties.
The death sentence awarded to Jadhav by a Pakistani military court after declaring him a "spy" resonated in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, where all parties came together to condemn the development and pressed the government to take every step to help him.
The government as well as the opposition saw the sentence as an attempt to defame India and to deflect the attention of the international community from Pakistan sponsored terrorism.