Coming together amidst the electoral battle, political rivals Congress and BJP on Thursday slammed Pakistan over its Army chief General Raheel Sharif’s comments on Kashmir and said it is an “inalienable part” of India.
This sharp reaction from both the political parties came after Sharif said in Rawalpindi on Wednesday that Kashmir was the “jugular vein” of Pakistan. He called for resolution of the Kashmir issue in accordance with the wishes and aspirations of Kashmiris and in line with United Nations Security Council resolutions.
Declaring Jammu & Kashmir as an integral part of India, Finance Minister P Chidambaram told reporters here that the Pakistani General’s remarks were “no different” from statements made from the neighbouring country in the past and “we should not take them seriously.” BJP spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman termed the Pakistan Army chief’s statement as “provocative” and “uncalled for” and said the elected Government there should speak up and ensure that peace in the region is not disturbed. She said such an “uncalled for” statement by Sharif should be rejected comprehensively and asked the Pakistani Government to focus its attention on building a peaceful Pakistan and not allow its Army to pose a threat to peace in the region.
Union Minister Manish Tewari said: “The fact is that Kashmir is an inalienable part of India.”He reminded Pakistan that the Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir preferred to join India. “The real issue is that Pakistan is in illegal occupation of large parts of Jammu and Kashmir,” he added.Condemning the Pakistan Army chief’s statement, BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said: “This kind of exuberance by Pakistan Army chief is totally unacceptable. India knows how to handle its own strategic imperatives and requirements. This is a case of gross interference. In this line, this kind of statement coming is grossly unfair, unwarranted.”
BJP spokesman MJ Akbar said Kashmir is a part of India. “It is an integral part of India and it shall remain an integral part of India. The present and future of Kashmir is India’s concern and not the Pakistan Army’s concern,” Akbar said and asked Sharif to concentrate on bringing peace in his own country.
Addressing a ceremony to mark Martyrs’ Day at Army headquarters in Rawalpindi, Sharif had claimed that Kashmir was an internationally recognised dispute and stated that the issue should be resolved in accordance with the wishes of Kashmiris and in line with UNSC resolutions for lasting peace in the region. He then termed Kashmir as the “jugular vein” of Pakistan.
The resolution of the Kashmir issue is “indispensable” for lasting peace in the region, he said adding Pakistan Army is in favour of peace but is always ready to respond to any aggression in a “befitting manner.”Pakistan has often described Kashmir as the “jugular vein” but this is the first time that Sharif has used the term or spoken about Kashmir since taking over late last year. The Martyrs’ Day ceremony was attended by a large number of dignitaries including Defence Minister Khawaja Asif and former Army chief Ashfaq Kayani.