India criticizes Pakistan's handling of Jadhav's meet with kin

New Delhi, Dec 26  : India on Tuesday heavily criticized Pakistan for the manner in which Islamabad conducted the meeting between death row prisoner Kulbhushan Jadhav with his mother and wife, saying it "violated the letter and spirit of our understandings".

India said the two women were made to remove their mangalsutra, bangles and bindi and were not allowed to converse in their mother tongue Marathi.

"We note with regret that the Pakistani side conducted the meeting in a manner which violated the letter and spirit of our understandings," India said in a statement.

It said that Jadhav's wife, Chetankul's shoes were taken away and not returned, while some media persons outside the Foreign Office in Islamabad, where the meeting was held, hurled invectives at the women.

India also said that from the feedback received of the meeting, "it appears that Jadhav was under considerable stress and speaking in an atmosphere of coercion.

"Most of his remarks were clearly tutored and designed to perpetuate the false narrative of his alleged activities in Pakistan. His appearance also raises questions of his health and well being."

The two sides had met across a glass panel and had to speak through an intercom.