By IANS,
United Nations : Describing terrorism as a Frankenstein’s monster, India has warned against use of terrorism as an instrument of state policy with a call to step up collective efforts to confront the scourge of terrorism.
“The fight against terrorism has to be unrelenting and fought across all fronts,” said Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader L.K. Advani speaking on “Measures to Eliminate International Terrorism” in the sixth committee of the UN General Assembly here Tuesday.
“The international community cannot afford selective approaches in dealing with terrorist groups or in dismantling the infrastructure of terrorism,” the former deputy prime minister said without referring to any country.
Speaking as a member of the Indian delegation, he said: “Terrorism is a Frankenstein’s monster,” and “resort to the use of terrorism as an instrument of state policy is short-sighted”.
“Indeed, those who have taken recourse to it have invariably themselves suffered immensely from it proving the age-old dictum that those who play with the sword, also perish by it,” Advani said.
Noting that “India, has faced the scourge of terrorism for over two-and-a-half decades,” he called on member states to step up their collective efforts with real cooperation to confront the scourge of terrorism squarely and decisively.
“Indeed, our entire region, South Asia, has been wracked by the activities of the biggest terrorist actors in the world, be they Al Qaeda, elements of Taliban or Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jamat-ud Daawa and others,” Advani said.
“Terrorism, extremism and radicalisation continue to pose a serious challenge to peace, progress and prosperity in the region,” he said.
India, Advani noted, is working with fellow members of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) to strengthen counter-terrorism cooperation.
The government of India too has taken important steps towards strengthening its strategic, legal and operational framework in the fight against terrorism, he said, noting that India is a party to 13 international counter-terrorism conventions and protocols.