Freetown [Sierra Leone], May 31 (ANI): BJP leader SS Ahluwalia, who is part of the all-party delegation led by Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde, on Saturday reflected on Pakistan's repeated betrayal, citing the Kargil War following the Lahore Declaration during former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's reign.

Speaking at an interaction with the Indian diaspora in Freetown, Sierra Leone, the BJP leader reflected on India's persistent efforts to foster peace with Pakistan, noting that the neighbour only indulges in terrorism against India and not through conventional war, just to weaken the country.

'Former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee used to say that it's the geography that Pakistan is our neighbour and we cannot change it, but we can bring the change and can make Pakistan our friend. That's why during the Lahore Declaration, he travelled to Lahore by bus; but what happened after that - Kargil happened... Time and again, we try to have an agreement and send a message of peace, but Pakistan always betrays us. Pakistan doesn't indulge in a conventional war with us but terrorism, as it wants to weaken us,' Ahluwalia stated.

His remarks, delivered as part of a broader diplomatic mission by an all-party delegation, were echoed by delegation members BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj and BJD MP Sasmit Patra, who emphasised India's firm response to Pakistan-sponsored terrorism through Operation Sindoor, reflecting the country's increasingly assertive stance on the global stage.

Swaraj emphasised India's transformed approach following the Pahalgam terror attack, noting that there was a 'paradigm shift' in how India handles Pakistan's sponsored terrorism.

'This is the new India that doesn't stop, it doesn't bow, and it doesn't forgive. It's the new India that has brought a paradigm shift and said that we will give a befitting reply... We are capable enough to do whatever is needed to do against the Pakistan-sponsored terrorism, but we know that terrorism is not a regional issue but a global issue, and hence, these all-party delegations are travelling to different nations for a diplomatic mission,' Swaraj said.

BJD MP Sasmit Patra also added an emotional narrative, recounting how the terrorists only killed the husbands and left the wives so that they could tell what happened to them there.

Patra noted that following this, Operation Sindoor took place, which targeted nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), killing more than 100 terrorists in the process.

'Sometimes, when we come together in this sense of solidarity... This sense came about on April 22 after Pahalgam... A terrorist comes across, asks the husband his religion, he says his religion and the terrorist shoots him. The wife turns around and asks, 'Kill me as well; why should I live?'... The terrorist turns around and tells that lady, 'I will not kill you. Go and tell this to your government.' She told, and then Operation Sindoor came. We went and struck them inside Pakistan. This is the new India... Believe that this is the new India and you are the face of the new India,' the BJD MP said.

The delegation led by Shinde also includes BJP MP Atul Garg and Manan Kumar Mishra, Indian Union Muslim League's ET Mohammed Basheer and former Ambassador Sujan Chinoy.

The delegation aims to brief international partners on India's response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack and its broader fight against cross-border terrorism while engaging with leaders. (ANI)