Tokyo [Japan], May 23 (ANI): Aparajita Sarangi, BJP Member of Parliament in the Lok Sabha and a leading member of the all-party delegation in Japan, underscored on Friday the urgency and gravity behind India's recent diplomatic mission.

This initiative follows the April 22 attack in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir, where 26 tourists - 25 Indian and one Nepali - were killed in an assault carried out by terrorists who, according to Indian authorities, came from Pakistan.

Sarangi explained the delegation's purpose in detail, stating, 'It's a multi-party delegation to Japan sent by the Government of India with the sole purpose of soliciting the support of Japan and four more countries with regards to the war against terrorism which Pakistan has started, and everything is related to the April 22 incident in Pahalgam where 26 innocent tourists - 25 Indians and 1 Nepali had been murdered by the terrorists who came from Pakistan.'

She continued, pointing to Pakistan's lack of response following the attack. 'Now, I must make very clear - very emphatically and with all conviction at my command, I should say this - Pakistan did not act against the terrorists who killed those people for a full 15 days. They were completely silent. Within 48 hours of that incident, the proxy of Lashkar-e-Taiba, the resistance front, had actually claimed that they had gone for this killing. Even then, knowing fully well that the terrorist organisation which Pakistan is harbouring has done this, Pakistan had not taken any action. That's where the Indian government said, 'Enough is enough,' and we had to go on the attack. This, I must tell you very candidly, was to teach Pakistan a lesson that they cannot take India very lightly.'

Sarangi stressed that India's response is driven by the need to protect its citizens and assert a policy of zero tolerance towards terrorism. 'A couple of things which needed to be conveyed to Pakistan - the Government of India will do anything and everything for protecting the 140 crore people of the country, and at the same time, it's very important to ensure that there is zero tolerance to terrorism. For that matter, we have all gathered together and come to Japan to solicit the support of this particular country, and thereafter, we're going to four more countries.'

Talking about the rest of the visits, she shared, 'We are going to Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and we're going to the Republic of Korea, too. We will talk to the different people from the governments, civil society, and the media, and we will communicate to them the need for all of us to gather together and join hands in this war against terrorism. India's viewpoint has to be put forth before everybody.'

The all-party delegation's visit to Japan is the first leg of a broader outreach across East and Southeast Asia, reflecting India's intention to unite regional partners against terrorism. The Indian delegation includes representatives from multiple parties and is led by JD(U) MP Sanjay Kumar Jha, who noted the strong support received from Japanese lawmakers.

During the meetings with Japan's parliamentarians, including former Defence Minister Minoru Kihara and Shinako Tsuchiya, Director General of the International Bureau of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, the Indian delegation presented evidence, such as photographs, that reportedly show Pakistani generals attending the funerals of known terrorists.

Speaking to ANI about the outcome, Jha said, 'We met many of the Japanese parliamentarians (members of the National Diet of Japan) today and everyone is supporting us in the fight against terrorism... We have shown them the photographs of how Pakistani generals attended the funerals of the terrorists.'

Members of Parliament reiterated India's strong resolve to confront terrorism in all its forms. The delegation's discussions with Japanese officials and lawmakers highlighted India's position and sought to reinforce the need for collective international action.

As the outreach continues to Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and the Republic of Korea, the delegation is set to deliver India's message to governments, civil society, and media across the region, seeking broader cooperation in the fight against terrorism. (ANI)