India's claim to Gilgit-Baltistan region stronger than Pakistan's: BJP leader
India's claim to the Gilgit-Baltistan region is much stronger than Pakistan's as it was handed over to the Pakistani Army by two "deceitful" British military officials, BJP leader Ram Madhav said yesterday. He said the region was strategically important to India as it provides a link to Afghanistan and further to Central Asia. The Belt Road Initiative of China also passes through this region.
Pakistan plans to announce Gilgit-Baltistan as its fifth province
Ram Madhav was speaking at the launch of a book 'Gilgit-Baltistan and its Saga of Unending Human Rights Violations' in New Delhi. Although under the control of Pakistan, India considers Gilgit-Baltistan a part of the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Known as the Northern Areas, Pakistan plans to announce Gilgit-Baltistan as its fifth province, a move that is being vehemently opposed by India.
Madhav explains region was under Maharaja Hari Singh then
Stressing on the issue, Madhav said, "When (the princely state of) J&K acceded to India, technically Gilgit-Baltistan was an integral part of the then state of Kashmir and Jammu, under Maharaja Hari Singh." The region was not annexed through any army encroachment. While Pakistan annexed parts of J&K, the Gilgit-Baltistan region was handed over to Pakistani army by two "deceitful" British officials, he said.
A brief history of the British claim over the region
In 1935, with rising Soviet influence and its possible threat to the British Empire, the British took Gilgit-Baltistan on lease for 60 years. After the British terminated the lease, they loaned two of their officers - Major WA Brown and Captain AS Mathieson - to the Maharaja for the purpose of looking after the defense of Gilgit-Baltistan till an alternative arrangement was found.
In 1947, Brown declared Gilgit was joining Pakistan
Soon after, the locals of Gilgit-Baltistan rebelled against Maharaja Hari Singh and Major Brown imprisoned Brigadier Ghansara Singh. On November 2, 1947, Brown declared that Gilgit was joining Pakistan. The Pakistani army and tribals occupied the region and used it as a base to carry out attacks in nearby regions. "It was taken over without any resistance in an illegal manner," Madhav said.
Madhav says British had later returned the region to Maharaja
Madhav added that legally, in 1935, the British had taken the region on lease from the then Maharaja and returned to him two days after the partition. He added that there was least awareness about the region, which is five-to-six times bigger than the PoK.
Madhav says Pakistan resorting to genocides in Gilgit-Baltistan
Hitting out at Pakistan, Madhav said while it has unleashed its "proxies within India" over the human-rights violations, the Pakistani Army has been resorting to genocides in the Gilgit-Baltistan region and the world is silent about it. Madhav said one of the clauses in the Common Minimum Programme was to open a trade-route from Kargil to Skardu, a town in the Gilgit-Baltistan region.
