CHANDIGARH, 27.06.25-Former councillor of Chandigarh Municipal Corporation Shakti Prakash Devshali justified the refusal of India's Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to sign the joint declaration at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation meeting in China and called it India's befitting reply to China and Pakistan.

Welcoming this decision, Devshali said, it is well known that the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation was formed to fight against terrorism in solidarity. When this organisation, acting contrary to its basic spirit, did not mention the terrorist attacks in India in the joint declaration, it becomes meaningless for India and by not signing it, the Defence Minister has firmly demonstrated India's will to fight against terrorism.

Rajnath Singh's statement lambasting Pakistan that "those who sponsor, nurture and use terrorism for their narrow and selfish purposes will have to face consequences. Some countries use cross-border terrorism as an instrument of policy and provide shelter to terrorists. There should be no room for such double standards. The SCO should not hesitate to criticise such countries" - makes India's stand clear.

Devshali said this is the new India under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi whose leaders work on the concept of 'Nation First' and put forth their views with firmness and clarity and all decisions are taken in the interest of India and Indians.