PM Narendra Modi in Ghana. Inset: TMC MP Mahua Moitra.
Credit: PTI Photos
New Delhi: As Prime Minister Narendra Modi embarked on a five-nation tour, Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra on Wednesday called him a "globetrotting" PM and asked why diplomatic efforts of the government were "unable" to isolate Pakistan at the global stage.
In a video statement, Moitra said Modi is "probably the one Prime Minister who's travelled the most on taxpayers' money, apparently cementing India in the global world order and making sure that we are in prime position".
"A few questions, how is it that after all your diplomatic outreach and after all of India's efforts, that today the leader of the free world is openly professing love for what is known as a terror hub, is having meals with its army chief. And worst of all, India and Pakistan have been hyphenated together, something that was unthinkable even 10 years ago," Moitra said.
She was apparently referring to the recent meeting between US President Donald Trump and Pakistan Army chief Asim Munir.
"Today, the prime minister of India and the prime minister of Pakistan are being spoken of in the same breath. How is it after all your efforts, Mr Prime Minister, and after the efforts of our External Affairs Ministry, after all diplomatic efforts, we have been unable to diplomatically isolate Pakistan?" she said.
"How come no country has come out and openly said anything against Pakistan post the Pahalgam attacks? We have been unable to show to anybody any direct link between Pakistan and the Pahalgam attacks. Is that not a failure of intelligence on our part?" she said.
Moitra said multilateral organizations like the World Bank and the IMF are bailing out Pakistan with billions of dollars.
"We have either been completely unable to convince them, or Pakistan's just done a better job than we have," she said.
Prime Minister Modi on Wednesday left on a week-long visit to five countries, including Brazil where he will attend the BRICS meeting.
"Together, we strive for a more peaceful, equitable, just, democratic and balanced multipolar world order," he said in his departure statement.
During the week-long travel, the PM will visit Ghana, Trinidad and Tobago, Argentina, Brazil and Namibia.