TOKYO: Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee on Saturday delivered a scathing condemnation of Pakistan, calling it the "vile handler" of terrorism, while addressing members of the Indian diaspora in Tokyo. Banerjee is part of an all-party delegation visiting Japan to expose Pakistan’s alleged role in cross-border terrorism and to reinforce India’s global message of zero tolerance towards terror.
The delegation, led by JD(U) MP Sanjay Jha, is one of seven tasked by the Indian government to visit 33 international capitals in an effort to galvanize global support against terrorism. Speaking at an event hosted by the Indian Embassy, Banerjee said, “If terrorism is a rabid dog, Pakistan is its vile handler, and the world must unite to tackle it.”
He asserted that India would not be intimidated. “We are here to convey the truth — India refuses to bow down,” he said. Referring to recent escalations following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people, Banerjee highlighted India’s precision air strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir conducted on May 7. These were followed by retaliatory attempts by Pakistan on Indian military bases over the next three days.
Banerjee emphasised India’s measured approach in its response. “We will ensure India remains responsible. All our responses and actions have been precise, calculated, and non-escalatory,” he said.
The Indian government has blamed The Resistance Front (TRF), which it describes as a proxy for the UN-designated terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba, for the Pahalgam attack. Banerjee alleged that Pakistan made desperate attempts to distance Lashkar from the violence and pointed to public images of Pakistani army officials attending funerals of slain terrorists.
“The footage does not lie — it's all in the open. I believe every Indian has a role to play in engaging communities and spreading this message,” Banerjee said, urging the diaspora to become vocal advocates in the fight against global terrorism.
He referred to the Indian diaspora as the country's “greatest asset” and encouraged them to act as “proponents of India's message in the global fight against terrorism.”
“We urge you to raise awareness of this issue within your circles, through your networks, and via local influencers, in your own unique ways,” he said. “Be the country's most passionate proponents and share this message: India is leading from the front in the global battle against terrorism.”
The Indian Embassy in Japan shared details of the delegation’s outreach, stating on social media platform X that the group presented a unified front in highlighting Pakistan’s alleged role in the Pahalgam attack and explained India's subsequent Operation Sindoor, which targeted terror bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
“They emphasised India's zero tolerance to Terrorism and conveyed the message that terror and talks cannot go together; blood and water cannot flow together. They reaffirmed India's unwavering commitment to combating cross-border terrorism and urged the Indian diaspora to continue to spread this message to every corner of Japan,” the Embassy posted.
The delegation also expressed appreciation for the diaspora's tribute to the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack, held earlier at the Embassy.
