PoJK people will soon opt to be part of India: Rajnath

Ramban, Sep 8: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh Sunday stated that the people of Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), impressed by the development bonanza unleashed here in J&K post Article 370, would soon opt “to be part of India.”

He said that people in India did not consider them (PoJK) people as foreigners. “So come and join us,” the Defence Minister said.

He also reiterated his party’s stand on Article 370, stating, “BJP will never allow its (Article 370’s) return.”

Rajnath also reacted sharply to former Chief Minister and National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah’s statement regarding the hanging of Afzal Guru.

Union Minister and star campaigner of BJP for Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, Rajnath Singh stated this while addressing two public rallies in support of party candidates in Ramban and Banihal.

He asked people to support the BJP to form the next government in Jammu and Kashmir so that the party could facilitate massive development in the region.

Rajnath said, “There is a visible change in the overall security situation in Jammu and Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019. Now youth here in Jammu and Kashmir are carrying computers, laptops instead of pistols, revolvers.”

He said that J&K would be made the most developed state of the country and such an atmosphere would be created here so that people of PoJK would want to join India.

He said, “I want to tell PoJK residents that Pakistan is considering you a foreigner but the people in India do not consider you as such. We consider you as our own and so come and join us.”

“We are committed to the development of J&K and will make such a Kashmir that even people from Pakistan-Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (PoJK) will say that they want to be part of India,” he said.

He said that J&K started moving fast on the path of development after the abrogation of Article 370 and peace was established here. “We abrogated Article 370 openly and boldly and no one can bring it back,” Rajnath said while adding, “BJP will never allow anyone to bring back Article 370 come what may.”

He said that the National Conference and Congress were now talking of bringing back Article 370, “but I must tell you that BJP will never let this happen.”

He appealed to the people to elect a BJP government and promised to make Jammu and Kashmir the most developed State in the country.

The Defence Minister said that the entire world was keeping an eye on the Assembly elections of J&K.

“During my recent visit to the United States, the delegations there inquired about the J&K Assembly elections, and I told them that the BJP will form its government in J&K with a full majority,” Rajnath said.

He said that not only the entire world but the whole of India was also closely watching these elections. He said that before the abrogation of Article 370, voter turnout in J&K used to be between 6 percent and 12 percent, but after its abrogation, the turnout in the 2024 Parliamentary elections was 58 percent, while in Ladakh, it reached 72 percent. He called this a significant sign of change.

This, Rajnath said, was testimony “as to how much the situation improved after the abrogation of Article 370.”

He said that for the first time, the people of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh witnessed transparent and fear-free elections.

He said that the people of Jammu and Kashmir were talented enough and had the potential to achieve anything. “If BJP government is formed here J&K will become the most developed State in the country," Rajnath said.

He said that under the strong leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, every section of society received justice.

He also said that daughters were not safe here; marginalized people could not vote and the refugees from West Pakistan and the Valmiki community were not given the right to vote.

“Under Modi's leadership, these people were granted their rights, and the Pahari community was given Scheduled Tribe status, along with political reservation for Gujjar-Bakarwals and Paharis,” Rajnath said.

He said, “I heard National Conference leader Omar Abdullah said that Afzal Guru should not have been hanged. I want to ask him if he (Guru) should not have been hanged, should he have been garlanded publicly.”

“I have received information that some border fencing work is going on. This work will be completed soon,” he added.

He said, “Our India, which was at the 11th place in the world in terms of the size of the economy, has reached the 5th place today. I am not saying this, the world’s leading economists and big financial firms are now claiming that India is progressing at such a fast pace.”

He said by 2027, India would stand in third place among the countries of the world in terms of the size of the economy.

“Jammu and Kashmir which was earlier known as a terrorism spot has now become a tourism hotspot. Go and see the change today, youth in the Valley do not have pistols and revolvers in their hands; instead, you will see laptops and computers. This is a huge change. There has not been a single incident of stone-pelting after 2022,” the Defence Minister said.

He said, “After 2019, our government has invested Rs 38,000 Cr for the development of Jammu and Kashmir.”

He said that Articles 370 and 35-A were abrogated for the prosperity and happiness of J&K. “What did Article 370 give to you,” he questioned.

“Be it Congress, NC or PDP, they tell you that the BJP has discriminated against the people of J&K. I want to tell you, if we do anything wrong, condemn it publicly. We don't want your support by keeping you (people) in the dark,” he said.

Rajnath also highlighted some specific points in the recently released poll manifesto like two additional gas cylinders under Ujwala Youjna; the return of Kashmiri Pandits to Kashmir; rehabilitation of West Pakistan refugees, developing the Ramban and Banihal areas as tourist destinations, metro rail connectivity in Jammu and Kashmir.

He also praised the BJP government for conducting G-20 in Kashmir.