WASHINGTON: In his address to a joint session of the US Congress, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi took an indirect swipe at Pakistan, claiming that terrorism was incubated in India’s neighbourhood.

He said that terrorism was an international issue and “those who believe in humanity must come together to fight for it as one, and speak against this menace in one voice.”

The remarks earned him a standing ovation from the lawmakers, one of many during the 46-minute speech.

“Although its shadow is spreading across the world, it is incubated in India’s neighbourhood,” he declared, earning another round of applause from American lawmakers.

Mr Modi said that terrorism must be fought at many levels and the United States and India should join hands to defeat this menace. “I commend the members of the US Congress for sending a clear message to those who preach and practice terrorism for political gains,” earning yet another standing ovation.

He noted that in the fight against the militant Islamic State group and other extremist groups, the US and India had “both lost civilians and soldiers. The need of the hour is for us to deepen our security cooperation.”

In another indirect reference, this time to a strong criticism from US lawmakers of his human rights record, Mr Modi said for his government “Constitution is its real holy book.”

“In that holy book, freedom of faith, speech and franchise, and equality of all citizens, regardless of background, are enshrined as fundamental rights,” said the Indian prime minister.

In recent hearings, US lawmakers criticised the Modi government for discriminating against religious minorities, particularly Muslims and Christians, and quoted several instances of government-back discriminations.

Mr Modi, however, rejected this criticism, saying: “India lives as one; India grows as one; India celebrates as one.”

He called for ever stronger economic and defence ties between the US and India. “Let us work together to convert shared ideals into practical cooperation,” he said.

Mr Modi applauded both nations’ common democratic principles and hailed two heroes of non-violence, India’s Mahatma Gandhi and civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. Mr Modi is the fifth Indian leader to make a speech to Congress since 1985.

He has visited the US four times after winning the national election in 2014 and has met President Obama seven times.

Published in Dawn, June 9th, 2016