India tears into Pak’s narrative of non-state actors in terror

New Delhi, Sep 9 (PTI) Taking on Pakistan, India todaysaid the concept of state actors and non-state actors on theissue of terrorism is a "false dichotomy" and a state cannotescape responsibility by hiding behind it. India also said that acting against some terror groups isnot a justification for giving a free pass, leave alone activesupport, to other groups. Without mincing words, Foreign Secretary S Jaishankartore into Pakistan’s narrative that terror attacks againstIndia are done by non-state actors and said the state cannotescape responsibility. Speaking at a conference organised by US-based East WestCentre, the Foreign Secretary reminded everyone that this wasthe case after 9/11 attack when countries were told that theycannot escape responsibility by saying that non-state actorswere involved. "There is a connect between state actors and non-stateactors which is why we use the word ‘sponsored’. So, the statecannot escape responsibility by saying it is non-state. Thisis not just vis-a-vis India. It was the situation even after9/11," Jaishankar said. He underlined that the concept of state and non-stateactors is a "false dichotomy". "We have always maintained the view that acting againstsome groups is not a justification for giving a free pass,leave alone active support, to other groups. So, you can’thave a segmented, differentiated fight against terrorism," hesaid. He was responding to questions about US, while supportingIndia’s stand on terrorism, also saying that Pakistan wasfighting against terrorism by taking action against variousgroups. Jaishankar said the world has a better sense of thenesting ground of terrorism in the region, where terrorism isbeing bred and nurtured. His remarks came as India upped the ante on the issue of"terror export" from the neighbouring country, with PrimeMinister Narendra Modi raising it at BRICS meet and East AsiaSummit, where he called on the international community toisolate and sanction "this" instigator. Modi urged other BRICS members to intensify joint effortsto combat terrorism and sought "coordinated actions" by thegrouping to "isolate supporters and sponsors of terror". "There’s one country in our neighbourhood whosecompetitive advantage rests solely in producing and exportingterrorism," he later said in his address at the East AsiaSummit, without naming Pakistan. MORE PTI SAPRT