How Swaraj’s Speech Is Judged Depends On What Actions Follow

India’s External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj addressed the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) today in simple Hindi. While she began her address by talking about the developmental schemes of the National Democratic Alliance government, she sounded the most forceful and instinctive when talking about terrorism and Pakistan.

In her 17-minute-long address, Swaraj exhorted the community of nations to isolate those states that sponsor and give shelter to terrorism. On Pakistan raising the issue of human rights violation in Kashmir, the minister was unambiguous when she said that“jinke ghar sheeshe ke hon, unhein dusron ke ghar patthar nahin phenkne chahiye.” (Those who live in glass houses themselves shouldn’t hurl stones at the homes of others). She went on to say that what Pakistan was doing in Balochistan was human rights violation of the worst kind. She concluded this section of her speech by saying that Jammu and Kashmir would always remain an inseparable part of India.

As an act of oratory, the speech was forceful. The kind of which the Minister is known for. But how this speech would be judged in hindsight depends on what actions India follows it up with. If the speech was the first, and the mildest step, in a series of measures to be taken by India against Pakistan, the speech would be remembered with respect in the future.

However, if Swaraj’s speech was all India has, or if speeches are all India has against Pakistan, then this one would go down in history as one of the many made in the United Nations, one of many delivered by Sushma Swaraj.