PoK is part of India and will continue to be so: Rajnath Singh

Quoting the 1994 Parliament resolution, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday said Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) is a part of Indian territory and will continue to be so.

“PoK is currently occupied by Pakistan and not even a single family is left without losses. They contributed a lot to the development of the country, PoK refugees should get full justice. They are looking up to India. We can’t forget that Baba Amarnath is here. How can Mata Sharada be there?” he questioned.

The Defence Minister was referring to the Sharda Peeth, which has the ruins of a temple to Hindu goddess Saraswati, also known as Sharda and is located in the Neelum valley, around 150 kilometres from Muzaffarabad in PoK. This site holds religious significance for the Kashmiri Pandits who have been demanding a Kartarpur-like corridor to offer prayers to the goddess.

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“I pray for wisdom to Pakistan. Our neighbor knows about our might," Singh said at an event after meeting family members of the slain security forces personnel and policemen in Jammu.

The February 1994 Resolution of the Parliament demanded that Pakistan must vacate the areas of Jammu and Kashmir, which they have occupied through aggression; and resolved that all attempts to interfere in the internal affairs of India will be met resolutely.

Terming Article 370 as an artificial legal barrier, Singh asserted that its abrogation brought a new dawn of hope to the dreams and aspirations of the people of J&K, especially the youth.

“The decision (abrogation of Article 370) opened new avenues for the welfare of the people and the Union Territory is now progressing at a much faster rate, the Defence Minister said while speaking at the commemoration ceremony of 'Kargil Vijay Diwas' in Jammu.

The Defence Minister said that India wanted friendship with Pakistan “but the neighbouring country was behaving differently.”

“Post-independence, J&K became a war theatre, but due to supreme sacrifices made by soldiers and other security forces, all bids aimed at damaging India's integrity and sovereignty were foiled,” he said.

Singh said, “After tasting defeats in direct wars of 1965 and 1971, the neighbouring country adopted the path of proxy war. For over two decades, it has tried to ‘bleed India with thousand cuts'.”

Singh, who arrived in Jammu on a day-long visit, also spoke about Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, under whose leadership China occupied Indian territory in Ladakh during the 1962 war.

“In 1962, China captured our area in Ladakh with Pandit Nehru as our PM. I will not question his intentions. Intentions can be good but the same does not apply to policies. However, today's India is one of the most powerful countries in the world,” he asserted.

Singh said due to the recent measures taken by the government, India today finds itself among the top 25 exporters of the world in defence items.

“We have set a target to achieve Rs 35,000 crore worth of exports by 2025 and become a top exporter in the times to come. Our aim is to make India a global superpower. This will be a fitting tribute to our fallen heroes who made the supreme sacrifice while dreaming of an India which is strong, prosperous, self-reliant and victorious,” he added.