India on Wednesday categorically asserted its claim over territories of Jammu & Kashmir under Pakistani occupation amid moves by Islamabad to declare Gilgit-Baltistan as a new province.
The Government said it opposed Pakistan's move the very day it got to know about it.
“Even raising a doubt over this Government that it will let go of some area will be wrong,” said External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in the lok Sabha.
She made the statement after BJD leader Bhartruhari Mahtab wondered if the Government has even properly responded to Pakistan's move to make Gilgit-Baltistan its fifth province.
Noting that some Western countries had criticised it, he asked, “What is our Government's responseIJ”
He asked the Government to not forget history or it will be condemned to repeat it.
Swaraj noted that both Houses of Parliament had passed resolutions which had reiterated India's claim over the PoK and Gilgit-Baltistan, both under Pakistan's occupation, and the Government was bound by it.
“We are bound by Parliament's resolutions and also our resolve,” the Minister said. She also quoted a BJP slogan which underlines India's claim over the territory and noted that its founder Shyama Prasad Mookerjee had “sacrificed” his life over this.