kashmir:Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh Sunday said that the Pakistan government treats people of Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) as "foreigners" but the Government of India believes they are the Indian citizens and that time was not far when they would express their desire to be part of India.
“Recently, the Additional Solicitor General of Pakistan presented a resolution in a court where PoK residents were described as foreigners. I want to tell them that the Government of India believes that people of PoK are Indian citizens,” Singh said addressing a massive rally in Ramban district of Jammu, He said time was not far when people of PoK would "themselves come forward and express their desire to be part of India."
“We will make the J&K a model State in next ten years if voted to power,” he said, and asked people to vote for BJP candidates in the upcoming Assembly polls in J&K starting from September 18 in three phases.
Singh said that it would be a historic election as the entire India will keenly watch it. “I was recently in the USA and Indian people asked me there what would be the fate of the polls in J&K, I categorically told them that it would be the BJP government in J&K,” Singh said. “Not just Indian people, but the people across the globe are watching the J&K elections.” He asked people to give the BJP a chance to serve them for the next ten years. “You will see a new J&K if BJP comes to power here,” he said.
In an obvious reference to PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, Singh said that some people used to claim that the entire J&K would be on fire if Article 370 is touched. “We rolled it back but not a single bullet was fired. Rather, a peaceful atmosphere is prevailing in the entire J&K,” he said.
Taking a dig at the National Conference, Singh said that this party claims restoration of Article 370. “I want to tell them that no power on earth can bring back Article 370 till BJP is there,” he said.
He said when a Parliamentarian delegation was sent to Kashmir to talk to Hurriyat, “doors were closed for them.” Singh said it was unfortunate to see NC vice president Omar Abdullah Afzal Guru should not have been hanged. “What were we supposed to do with (Guru) then if we should not have hanged him,” Singh asked. On the return of Kashmiri Pandits, Singh said that Centre is committed to ensure safe and dignified return of KPs.