New Delhi, May 28: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Sushma Swaraj on Monday held an annual press conference during which she responded to questions on several crucial issues. In one such reply, she slammed the United Kingdom(UK) court which has allegedly questioned the state of Indian prisons, stating that liquor baron and Kingfisher airlines owner Vijay Mallya cannot be sent to such an inhospitable prison.  MEA Swaraj in her strong retort reminded the UK that it is the same jail in which they had imprisoned the Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi and first Prime Minister of Independent India Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and other freedom fighters earlier, while the British ruled India.

According to news reports, the British Prime Minister Theresa May raised concerns over the condition of Indian prisons to  PM Modi during her meeting earlier. The worry was later conveyed to MEA Sushma, while PM Modi also shared his disappointment about the UK Court's concern said  Sushma to the media during her annual press meet

Along with this, the minister also criticised Pakistan about New Delhi's protests over Islamabad's move to take administrative control over the Gilgit-Baltistan region. The region is a part of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and is central to the so-called Gilgit-Baltistan order, under which the Pakistani central government seized more authority from the local council in matters related to the affairs of the region. Sushma remarked over the row: "A country that doesn't know democracy can't preach [to] us."

While Vijay Mallya, the fugitive loan defaulter, is wanted in India after he duped crores of rupees of the State Bank of India by borrowing money fraudulently. Reportedly, Mallya has taken shelter in UK and his extradition case hearing is currently on-going in a UK court. Earlier this week, he also lost a lawsuit filed by 13 Indian banks in a UK High Court seeking to collect more than $1.55 billion, which dealt him a significant blow.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 28, 2018 05:49 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).