As Pakistan observed ‘Kashmir solidarity day’ on Saturday, Union Minister Jitendra Singh said India cannot be intimidated by “new experimentation” being done by “our hostile neighbour” by preparing tool kits to garner support across the globe.
He said if there is any pending issue between Pakistan and India it is that part of Jammu and Kashmir which continues to be under the illegal occupation of the neighbouring country.
Talking to reporters at the BJP headquarters in Jammu, the Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office said there is nothing to feel perturbed about it (Pakistan observing Kashmir solidarity day). “We are well equipped (to face any challenge).” He was responding to a question about ‘Kashmir solidarity day’ being observed in Pakistan on February 5 since 1990 and the ‘tool kits’ reportedly dispatched by Islamabad this year to different embassies across the globe to garner support for its Kashmir policy.
“Right from the midnight of partition in 1947, Pakistan could not reconcile with the fact that Jammu and Kashmir is a part of India and therefore they are trying all tricks in their book. They tried three wars, are trying infiltration, and the thousand wounds theory by causing insurgency.
“Now they are using modern tool kits and the available new technology. But India is much more responsive and dynamic both as a nation and a state not to be intimidated by all these new experiments being done by our hostile neighbour,” the Minister said.
He said it is the recognised position by India’s Parliament which unanimously passed a resolution in 1994, when BJP was not in power, that states “if at all there is an issue pending between India and Pakistan that is of retrieving that part of Jammu and Kashmir which continues to be under illegal occupation of Pakistan even after 75 years.”
On the National Conference rejecting the second draft proposal of the Delimitation Commission which has suggested the creation of new constituencies and redrawing of others in Jammu and Kashmir, Mr. Singh said anybody who questions the working of the panel either has not studied enough the parameters which guide its working or they have some other motives.
Mr. Singh, a member of parliament from J-K’s Udhampur Lok Sabha seat, along with party colleague from Jammu parliamentary constituency Jugal Kishore besides three NC MPs Farooq Abdullah, Hasnain Masoodi and Mohd Akbar Lone, are associate members of the commission.
“I am not here to react to what somebody has said. As far as BJP is concerned, we trust the legitimacy and the integrity of the Delimitation Commission which is constituted by the Election Commission of India which is a constitutional body. They follow certain norms and certain parameters which are already laid down. There cannot be any deviation,” he said.
He said, “We believe that if a body is working as per its mandate, it is the responsibility of all workers and leaders not to interfere (in its working).” Asked about the hijab controversy over a college in Karnataka denying entry to Muslim girl students who were wearing the headscarves, the minister said some people are not comfortable with the kind of progress the country is making under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and are trying to derail his mission.
“Under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, the education system has actually given a new life. The education policy is a futuristic document that is going to place India at the top by a long jump (from the present position).
“Some people are not comfortable with the kind of progress the country is making under Modi and they are trying to mix up religion, communalism and even some hate elements are out to malign and derail the mission undertaken by Modi. They cannot call themselves as friends of India,” he said.
Asked about the strong reaction from former chief ministers Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti to the incident, he said “It is better to concentrate on the new education policy and its implementation that will be much more beneficial”.
