India to use right to reply to Imran Khan's anti-India rant at UNGA

India will use the Right to Reply option in response to Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's speech at the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in which he continued his anti-India rant.

The Right of Reply generally means the right to defend oneself against criticism in the same venue where it was made.

Both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Khan addressed the 74th session of the UNGA in New York earlier in the day. But what stood out between the two leaders was that Modi spoke for around 17 minutes, well within the allotted time-limit of between 15 to 20 minutes, for a world leader to address the global body.

 

On the other hand, Khan exceeded beyond the time limit, going on to speak for more than half-an-hour with red light constantly blinking.

Khan continued his vile narrative against India over New Delhi's move to revoke Article 370 and also flouted the time limit set for the address of world leaders.

"For a start, they have to lift the curfew, that's the beginning. Even the Congress party in India has commented that poor people have been shut inside for 50 days. No one knows what's happening with the political prisoners... (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi has boxed himself in a blind alley," Khan had told reporters at a press conference here on the sidelines of the 74th UNGA session.

Modi delivered his second address to the UNGA and his first after assuming power for a second term.

On the other hand, Khan, who made his maiden appearance at the UN General Assembly, spoke for over half an hour, well over the allotted time-limit, where he touched upon issues like money laundering, climate change and Islamophobia, apart from raking up the Kashmir issue.

The cricketer-turned-politician used the global platform to continue his anti-India rhetoric, terming the RSS and BJP as "fascist" and "Hindu supremacist". He warned of what he called "bloodbath" in Jammu and Kashmir ever since India abrogated Article 370 that granted special status in the region.