'PoK residents should join India': Rajnath Singh in J&K
Defense Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday urged the residents of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) to consider joining India. Speaking at an election rally in Ramban assembly constituency, Singh emphasized that unlike Pakistan—which treats them as foreigners—India sees them as its own. "Recently, the Additional Solicitor General of Pakistan presented a resolution in a court where PoK residents were described as foreigners. I want to tell them that the government of India believes they are our citizens," he said.
Singh criticizes opposition's poll promise
Singh also criticized the National Conference-Congress alliance for their election pledge to restore Article 370, declaring it an impossibility as long as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) remains in power. He praised the significant improvement in Jammu and Kashmir's overall security situation following the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019, stating youths now carry laptops and computers instead of pistols and revolvers.
Singh questions Abdullah's statement on Afzal Guru
"Support the BJP to form the next government in J-K so that we can facilitate massive development...There will be so much development that..PoK on seeing this should say that we do not want to live with Pakistan...and will go to India," Singh said. During his speech, Singh also addressed NC leader Omar Abdullah's statement about Afzal Guru. "I heard...Abdullah sahab said that Afzal Guru should not have been hanged. I want to ask him that...should he have been garlanded publicly?"
Singh's visit follows Shah's 2-day trip
Singh's visit to J&K follows Home Minister Amit Shah's two-day trip, during which he released the party's manifesto and addressed various meetings and rallies. The defense minister is also scheduled to visit the Banihal constituency to support party candidate Mohd Saleem Bhat, who is up against former Pradesh Congress Committee president Vikar Rasool Wani. BJP candidate Rakesh Singh Thakur is running against NC candidate Arjun Singh Raju and party rebel Suraj Singh Parihar in Ramban.
