Will embrace PoK people with open arms: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh

Poonch, Sep 22: Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh today said that the people of Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) are feeling impressed by J&K’s transformation and India’s progress that they want to merge with the Union of India. Singh said he was ready to embrace the people of PoK with open arms and allow them to live a dignified life in India.

“Look at the plight of people of PoK. They are feeling frustrated due to the oppression there. At the same time, they are feeling impressed by J&K’s transformation and India’s progress. We are not like Congress that claims PoK people are not ours,” Shah said

Addressing a massive gathering in J&K’s Poonch,  Singh as per NVI said that “If PoK people want to merge with the Union of India, we will embrace them with open arms and allow them to live a dignified life.”

He said that the Assembly elections taking place are being watched not only by the Indian citizens but also by the entire world. “In Lok Sabha polls, J&K recorded 58 per cent voting and Ladakh saw 82 per cent polling, which was a record in itself,” the Defence Minister said.

He said that the then Prime Minister Late Atal Bihari Vajpayee had advocated Insaniyat, Kashmiryat and Jamhoriyat for J&K but the same was responded by the political parties with “Siyasat, Siyasat, Siyasat.”

Singh said that today India is a developing country. “India is not what it was ten years ago. There was a time, when world community wouldn’t listen to what India would say at international forms. Today, things have changed, world leaders patiently and keenly note and listen India’s stand on various international affairs,” he said. He said by 2027, India will be world’s third best democracy.

Singh said that the centre abrogated Article 370 to ensure that tricolour flies high in Lal Chowk a place where national flag wasn’t unfurled. “Wasn’t it a great injustice that Kashmir being a part of India wasn’t raising tricolour at Lal Chowk. Today the national flag flies high at city centre,” he said.

He said BJP will not allow return of bad old days. “The fact remains that 80 per cent of those killed in J&K since 1990 were Muslims alone,” Singh said. “We will not allow a place to bleed where Kashmiri Pandits and Muslims still celebrate Kheer Bhawani Mela with great communal harmony. Now efforts are on by the political parties like NC, Congress and PDP to change the name of Shankaracharya to Takht-e-Sulaimani and Hari Parbat to Koh-e-Maran. We will not allow this to happen.”

Singh said that Pakistan Defence Minister Khwaja Asif openly claiming that his country was on the same page with NC, PDP and Congress in J&K on Article 370 was a surprising statement. “So are NC, PDP and Congress proxies of Pakistan in J&K,” Singh questioned.

The Defence Minister said that when he was the Home Minister of India, he was the person to order for the withdrawal of FIRs against young stone pelters. “I never blamed the young boys for throwing stones but those who used to provoke them,” he said and sought votes for BJP candidates.