Terrorism cannot be classified into good, bad: Modi at SAP center

By NewsGram Staff-Writer

San Jose: Taking a dig at the UN, Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked if the world body takes so long to define terrorism how will it uproot the menace. He further stressed that terrorism cannot be classified as good and bad terrorism.

Addressing a cheering Indian community at the SAP Center, Modi said he hoped the UN would come to a decision on how to define terrorism.

"We cannot safeguard humanity if we do not come to an agreement on what constitutes terrorism. Terrorism is terrorism, there can be no differentiation between good and bad terror," he told Indian community members.

Recounting his interactions with US State Department officials many years ago, he said that in 1993 when he had mentioned to them that India was afflicted by terrorism, they had refused to acknowledge it as a terror and had insisted that it was only a law and order problem.

He further added that after the US itself faced the 2001 terror attack, the tone and tenor of US State Department officials changed on the issue of terrorism.

"…my country had been afflicted by it for the past 40 years," he said.

"The world has to realize that terrorism can hit anyone at any place, and it is the world's responsibility to recognize it and unite against terrorism," he said, adding that he will raise this issue at all international fora.

Modi said that in the 70th anniversary year of the UN it is the responsibility of the world body to unite and fight terrorism for the sake of maintaining peace in the world.

"I come from the land of Mahatma Gandhi and Buddha, the icons of peace," he said.

(With inputs from IANS)