NEW DELHI: Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday urged the residents of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) to join India.
Addressed an election rally in Ramban assembly constituency, the defence minister asserted that India considers them as their own, unlike Pakistan, which treats them as foreigners.
“Support the BJP to form the next government in J&K so that we can facilitate massive development in the region.There will be so much development that the people in PoK on seeing this should say that we do not want to live with Pakistan and instead will go to India,” the defence minister said.
“I want to tell PoK residents that Pakistan is considering you foreigner but the people in India do no consider you as such. We consider you as our own and so come and join us,” he added.
Rajnath also lashed out the National Conference-Congress alliance for their poll promise of restoring Article 370, stating that it is impossible as long as the BJP is in power.
The defence minister welcomed the significant improvement in the overall security situation in Jammu and Kashmir following the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019.
The defence minister’s visit as a star campaigner for the BJP follows home minister Amit Shah’s two-day visit, during which he released the party’s manifesto and addressed various meetings and rallies.
In the Ramban constituency, BJP’s Rakesh Singh Thakur is contesting against NC’s Arjun Singh Raju and the party’s rebel Suraj Singh Parihar. Rajnath is also scheduled to visit the adjoining Banihal constituency to support party candidate Mohd Saleem Bhat, who is facing a challenge from former PCC president Vikar Rasool Wani, who is seeking a hat-trick of wins from the seat.
Addressed an election rally in Ramban assembly constituency, the defence minister asserted that India considers them as their own, unlike Pakistan, which treats them as foreigners.
“Support the BJP to form the next government in J&K so that we can facilitate massive development in the region.There will be so much development that the people in PoK on seeing this should say that we do not want to live with Pakistan and instead will go to India,” the defence minister said.
“I want to tell PoK residents that Pakistan is considering you foreigner but the people in India do no consider you as such. We consider you as our own and so come and join us,” he added.
Rajnath also lashed out the National Conference-Congress alliance for their poll promise of restoring Article 370, stating that it is impossible as long as the BJP is in power.
The defence minister welcomed the significant improvement in the overall security situation in Jammu and Kashmir following the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019.
The defence minister’s visit as a star campaigner for the BJP follows home minister Amit Shah’s two-day visit, during which he released the party’s manifesto and addressed various meetings and rallies.
In the Ramban constituency, BJP’s Rakesh Singh Thakur is contesting against NC’s Arjun Singh Raju and the party’s rebel Suraj Singh Parihar. Rajnath is also scheduled to visit the adjoining Banihal constituency to support party candidate Mohd Saleem Bhat, who is facing a challenge from former PCC president Vikar Rasool Wani, who is seeking a hat-trick of wins from the seat.