Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday urged the people of Jammu and Kashmir not to allow hostile elements to tear apart the social fabric, noting that the electoral process is expected to start in the coming months.
Rajnath Singh, who is in Jammu and Kashmir for a two-day visit, made a veiled allusion to Pakistan by saying that some forces were attempting to plant seeds of hatred in the union territory. He claimed that the recent targeted killings in Jammu and Kashmir were the result of a foreign conspiracy, and that similar attempts would be prevented.
He was speaking at a commemoration of Maharaja Gulab Singh’s ‘Rajyaabhishek ceremony,’ which took place 200 years ago today.
He said, “I appeal to the people of Jammu and Kashmir that the social fabric of the state should never be ripped apart by religion or caste. There have always been elements here that have tried to tear this social fabric apart and encouraged extremists. Attempts to incite animosity in J-K have recently been made.”
“Our neighbouring country has a significant role in spreading the seeds of animosity in this country. There is a foreign conspiracy behind all of these, from the 1947 strikes to the recent targeted killings. We will not allow any community from Jammu and Kashmir to be forced to migrate” added Singh.
In Kashmir, there had been a wave of targeted killings, and members of the minority population had threatened to flee in droves if the government did not move them.
The minister also mentioned the recently completed delimitation exercise in Jammu and Kashmir, which resulted in Jammu having 43 members in the assembly and Kashmir having 47 seats, and predicted that the electoral process will commence in the coming months.
He also chastised Pakistan for occupying Pakistan Occupied Kashmir illegally.
“Before Jammu and Kashmir was admitted to India in 1947, a substantial portion of the region was unlawfully taken. Pakistan Occupied Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan are still under Pakistan’s illegal occupation. The regions added by Maharaja Gulab Singh in Jammu and Kashmir have been claimed by Pakistan,” he stated.
Union Minister further claimed that the truth is that in these places, Pakistan has no locus stand.
“For seven decades, the people of Jammu and Kashmir have fought for the region’s improvement. Syama Prasad Mookerjee, our leader, passed away. Due to vote bank politics, despite all objections and efforts, Article 370 was not repealed. Article 370 was repealed by both Houses of Parliament on August 5, 2019, bringing the constitutional separation from India to an end “Singh made the claim.
During a speech in Baramulla on Thursday, Rajnath Singh lambasted Pakistan, saying the neighbouring country was attempting to disrupt peace in J-K by using a strategy of “bleeding India with a thousand cuts.”