Former Union Minister MJ Akbar, speaking in Brussels as part of an all-party Indian parliamentary delegation to Europe, delivered a forceful message criticizing what he described as the international community’s double standards on terrorism. Akbar questioned the disparity in global responses to terror attacks in India versus those in the West, pointedly asking, “Are there two laws in this world? One for America and the West, and another for India?”
Referring to the U.S. response after the 9/11 attacks, he noted that Washington took military action 12,000 kilometers away in Afghanistan and Pakistan, while India—when responding to terror attacks from across its own border—is told to “show restraint.” He emphasized that India is not seeking revenge but justice, and expressed frustration at the indifference shown by many Western nations toward Indian lives.
The delegation, led by BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad, is visiting Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Denmark, and the UK with a clear mission: to highlight Pakistan’s ongoing support for terrorism and to push for a fair, values-based global approach to counterterrorism. The outreach comes in the wake of a devastating terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which left 26 people dead.
Ravi Shankar Prasad reinforced Akbar’s point, stressing that India’s actions are grounded in justice and not vengeance. “We ask the world: do the victims of terror have human rights or not?” he said, calling on global leaders to hold perpetrators and state sponsors of terrorism accountable.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi also voiced strong criticism of Pakistan’s internal instability and its role in fostering radicalization. She denounced former Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s past statements about India’s counter-terror efforts, calling them cowardly and hypocritical. “Pakistan’s military interference and senseless radicalisation have cost too many lives—both within and beyond its borders,” she said.
The delegation, which includes MPs from the BJP, Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), AIADMK, and former diplomats, is aiming to build international pressure on Pakistan and reset the narrative on global counterterrorism cooperation—one that recognizes the severity of attacks on Indian soil and ends the tolerance for selective outrage.
Their message is clear: Indian lives matter, and the global fight against terrorism must reflect that truth without exception.
