Join India, we consider you our own unlike Pakistan: Rajnath Singh to PoK residents
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday urged residents of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) to join India, saying they are considered “our own” unlike in Pakistan, where they are treated as “foreigners.”
During an election rally in the Ramban constituency of Jammu and Kashmir, Rajnath Singh appealed to the people to support the BJP to bring about further development in J&K, suggesting that this progress would be so evident that the people of PoK would prefer to join India.
“Support the BJP to form the next government in J-K so that we can facilitate massive development in the region. There will be so much development that the people in PoK on seeing this should say that we do not want to live with Pakistan and instead will go to India,” the defence minister said.
Singh referred to a recent affidavit filed by Pakistan’s additional solicitor general which stated that PoK was foreign territory.
“I want to tell PoK residents that Pakistan considers you foreigners, but the people in India do not consider you so. We consider you our own and so come and join us,” he said.
The senior BJP leader came down heavily on the National Conference-Congress alliance over its poll promise of restoring Article 370 and said it is impossible as long as the BJP is there.