The Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday dubbed the United Nations’ decision to designate Masood Azhar a global terrorist a “win for every Indian”, reported PTI. The ban came through after China, which had blocked attempts to blacklist him four times before, finally changed its stand.

Addressing a press conference in Delhi on Thursday, Union minister Arun Jaitley said the change in China’s attitude “had certainly been impacted by the recent development, which includes both Pulwama and Balakot, especially since it was Masood Azhar’s camp which was destroyed in Balakot”.

Jaitley admitted that this was a matter of international diplomacy. But added, “The only difference is that they [previous governments] did so unsuccessfully and [Narendra] Modi ji did it successfully.” The BJP has often been accused of misusing diplomatic victory to garner votes.

The Union finance minister once again attacked the previous Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government over its alleged weak stand. “Everyone now knows how defective India’s position was post 26/11 [Mumbai attacks],” said Jaitley. “One of the former service chiefs said he wanted to strike back but then prime minister had said no. Shahid Latif, a terrorist who was released as goodwill gesture, later on played a key role in the Pathankot terror attack.”

The BJP said opposition parties were reluctant to celebrate this achievement. “If India wins, Indians win, but there are friends in opposition who are not celebrating it as they may have to pay a political price for it,” said Jaitley. He alleged that the Opposition parties did not play a positive role and stand united with the government. “Some of the opposition leaders saw political purpose behind it...they also questioned the surgical strikes saying what is the big deal?” said Jaitley.

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for this diplomatic victory. “Terrorism shall not be tolerated and this declaration from the UN is noteworthy,” she said. “It is the result of persistent measures taken by the external affairs ministry, under leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.”

The UN blacklisted Azhar after China lifted its 10-year “technical hold” on proposal moved by the US, Britain, France to ban the Jaish leader in February, two weeks after the Pulwama tragedy. Beijing on Wednesday said it lifted its veto after studying “revised material” submitted by relevant countries to the sanctions committee.

Azhar’s Jaish-e-Mohammed was behind the Pulwama terror attack in which 40 jawans were killed on February 14. Days after the Pulwama attack, the United States, Britain and France pushed a fresh proposal in the Security Council’s 1267 Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee to designate Azhar a global terrorist. However, the mention of the Pulwama attack was finally omitted from the resolution, reported NDTV.