Rajouri, September 22: Defense Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday raised objections to recent statements made by Pakistan’s defense minister and asked whether the Congress and the National Conference were acting as proxies for Pakistan.
He also accused Pakistan of interfering in India’s internal affairs at a time when India (Pakistan) is facing instability. “Who gave them (Pakistan) the power to interfere in J&K?” he asked.
Referring to former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s remarks that “neighbors cannot be changed”, Rajnath said India was ready to hold talks with Pakistan if it promised to stop supporting terrorism in J&K.
He made the remarks while addressing public gatherings at Poonch Haveli, Kotranka, Sunderbani in Rajouri-Poonch and Sainik Colony in Jammu.
The Defense Minister said that Pakistan is concerned about the democratic festivals in Jammu and Kashmir, as reflected in recent statements by the Defense Minister.
He said the NC, Congress and People’s Democratic Party were acting as proxies of Pakistan in the hope of restoring Article 370, resurrecting terrorism in J&K and pushing it towards destruction and unrest.
“I want to tell the NC, Congress and People’s Democratic Party that the BJP will never restore Article 370 in J&K,” Rajnath said.
“I would like to ask how these parties can restore Article 370? Only the central government can restore Article 370 and the BJP is at the centre. The NC, SJ and People’s Democratic Party are just misleading the people and have no questions to ask the people.”
“Three families (Abdullah, Mufti, Gandhi) are only trying to divide Hindus and Muslims for power, but we (BJP) will not divide people and believe that all are brothers and Indians,” Singer said.
He said the NC-Congress wanted to prevent terrorism in Kashmir by restoring Article 370, but the BJP would not allow this to happen. “Article 370 has caused immense suffering to the people of J&K and delayed it for 70 years,” Rajnath said. He added, “The people of Jammu and Kashmir have suffered immensely due to terrorism. Eight per cent Ten of the civilian casualties came from the Muslim community.”
“Terrorism has reduced after the abrogation of Article 370 and now we have to look to the future and forget the past,” he said.
He said that after the abrogation of Article 370, the Indian Constitution has been implemented in letter and spirit in J&K. “Why was the tricolor not hoisted or unfurled at Lal Chowk”? “Now, after the abrogation of Article 370, Tiranga is unfolding in Lal Chowk,” he asked.
“The irony is that you cannot lift tiranga in Lal Chowk (i.e. your own country). The abrogation of Article 370 has broken all barriers and now J&K has become an integral part of India,” Rajnath said.
“Now, J&K is known as a tourist destination and not a terrorist destination,” he said, adding, “After the formation of the BJP government, J&K will become the most developed state in the country.”
He said: “Let the BJP government fall into J&K and see its magic. Prime Minister Modi is very sensitive to J&K and there will be no shortage of funds for the development of J&K.”
The defense minister said that not only the entire India but the world is closely watching the assembly elections in J&K.
He also said that Sikhs fought for the country and made noble sacrifices that the country will never forget.
Rajnath said employees at PoJK wanted to be a part of India after seeing the huge growth in J&K. He said that KP participated in Mela Kheer Bhawani (Amarnath yatra) along with Muslims. “This is called Kashmir,” he said.
Addressing a rally in support of the BJP candidate from Budhal parliamentary constituency, Defense Minister Chowdhary Zulfkar Ali said the elections were a festival of democracy and that the election was at its peak in J&K but Pakistan is worried about this.
“India has always wanted to have good relations with Pakistan but on the condition that Pakistan controls terrorism on its soil as negotiations and terrorism cannot coexist. Pakistan is now facing a backlash for breeding terrorism on its territory,” he said .
On the demand for restoration of statehood, Rajnath Singh said that statehood of Jammu and Kashmir will be restored soon, which was announced by Prime Minister Modi himself.
Appealing to people to vote on a large scale, the defense minister said the high turnout in the first phase showed J&K’s passion for democracy. He appealed to the people of Jammu and Kashmir to vote for the BJP and play a role in building “Naya Jammu and Kashmir”.
Expressing the BJP government’s commitment to maintaining order in Jammu and Kashmir, Rajnath said that after 2014, there has not been even a single incident of stone-pelting in Jammu and Kashmir, which shows the government’s commitment and control.
“We have controlled the stone-pelting and I have also requested the authorities to quash the FIR registered for stone-pelting on youths,” he said, adding that the government was well aware of the problems faced by civilians in the area due to terrorism.
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