Praise & Potshots: Sushma Swaraj’s UNGA Address Stirs Up Twitter

Sushma Swaraj drew accolades for her rebuttal to Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif’s UNGA speech but a few are unhappy.

Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj speaks during the 71st session of the United Nations General Assembly. (Photo: AP)

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj addressed the 71st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session on Monday and delivered a counter-attack against Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s speech made earlier during the session.

In her address, she said that there are nations “in our midst” where UN-designated terrorists roam freely and deliver “their poisonous sermons of hate with impunity”, an apparent reference to 26/11 Mumbai attack mastermind and Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed.

In a sharp rebuttal to Sharif’s comments on Kashmir, Swaraj tore into Pakistan for the first time at the UNGA for perpetrating the “worst form of state oppression” in Balochistan.

Swaraj’s speech induced sharp reactions from prominent political personalities – both accolades and criticism. Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted this tweet.

Politicians from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) (as well as Shashi Tharoor from the opposition Congress) applauded Sushma Swaraj’s speech at the UNGA.

But Not Everyone in India is Happy With Swaraj’s Speech

Also Read: “Pack of Lies”: Pakistan Counter-Attacks After Sushma’s Speech

Besides Surejewala, Congress member Manish Tewari questioned Modi on what India’s course of action is going to be after the UNGA address.

The world has known for the last 25-30 years now that Pakistan is a net exporter of terror. What is unknown is what the NDA government is going to do to change Pakistan’s behaviour, the country wants to know this from the PM.

Manish Tewari, Congress Member

Sanjay Raut, a member of BJP ally Shiv Sena, claimed that Swaraj had refrained from naming in her speech, although, in fact, she had.

Nothing will happen by giving speeches at UN. We can’t even name Pakistan. Why? Nawaz Sharif names us.

Sanjay Raut, Shiv Sena Leader