Asks Pak to stop aiding terrorists
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday thwarted any possibility of an early resumption of dialogue with Pakistan asserting that future talks with the neighbour would be focussed only on Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK).
Addressing a public rally in Kalka ahead of the flagging off the BJP’s Jan Ashirwad Yatra for the October Assembly polls in Haryana, Rajnath said, “If talks take place with Pakistan, it will be on POK and not on any other issue.”
Virtually ruling out resumption of talks with Pakistan, Singh said, “About what should we talk? What’s the issue on which there should be talks? Why there should be a talk? If there would be any talk with Pakistan, it would happen only when Pakistan stops supporting terror from its soil.” Rajnath said for the current Government, India’s respect, pride and prestige was above all and they were committed to this and it was not any election stunt.
On the scrapping of the provision granting a special status to Jammu & Kashmir under Article 370 of the Indian Constitution, Rajnath said the decision had sent jitters to Pakistan and it became a cause of concern for them.
“Now it (Pakistan) is knocking every door and approaching various countries for help. Have we committed any crime? And they are trying to threaten us. However, America, perceived to be the most powerful country in the world by people, has snubbed Pakistan, telling them to initiate a dialogue with India,” he said.
He also accused Pakistan of wanting to destabilise and weaken India through terrorism. “At times, Pakistan wants to break our country by using terrorism. But our Prime Minister has shown that he has a 56-inch chest. He took a decision to give a befitting reply after the Pulwama terror attack as our Air Force carried out the Balakot strike,” he said.
The Defence Minister also highlighted the development works undertaken by the Government during its second term.
“We have carried out a number of development works, but we have not left issues which concern nation’s pride. Whatever we had said in our election manifesto, we are committed to fulfil that, be that the revocation of Article 370,” Rajnath said.
The Union Minister further stressed that the Opposition used to say if anybody touched Article 370, the country would be divided and the BJP won’t be able to come to power. “I want to say it clearly that the BJP does not do politics for forming Government. We do politics of nation building. Under no circumstances, we will allow the prestige of our country be tarnished,” he added.
On the promises made in their election manifesto, Rajnath said, “Our Prime Minister keeps telling us to remain committed to the promises made in the manifesto. ‘Pran jaye par vachan na jaye’. We do not go back on what we have promised. We scrapped provisions of Article 370 and 35-A for J&K’s interests, keeping in view the future of its youth…,” he said.
Singh appealed to the people of Haryana to bring back the Manohar Lal Khattar-led Government by helping the BJP realise its target of winning 75 seats in the 90-member State Assembly.
Besides Khattar, Union Ministers Narendra Singh Tomar, Krishan Pal Gurjar, Rattan Lal Kataria, a number of MLAs from the State were also present in the rally.