E-Paper
At Gurez rally, Rajnath Singh warns Pakistan over terror
The Gurez valley in Bandipora district was once known for frequent cross LoC shelling but is emerging as a major border tourism spot after the ceasefire on LoC and improvement in situation
Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday cautioned Pakistan over any terror activity in the country while campaigning in Gurez valley on the Line of Control (LoC) in Bandipora district, saying that the “new India” will strike back.
Singh said the successive governments including prime ministers (PM) Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Narendra Modi had been counselling Pakistan to stop terror activities.
“Every government has been continuously counselling Pakistan. And you know, once our former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee went barefoot to Pakistan. PM Modi, breaking all protocols, went to Pakistan to take part in Nawaz Sharif’s function. Every government of India has advised Pakistan to stop the terrorist training camps on the latter’s soil. But they are still not refraining from that,” he said.
The picturesque Gurez valley in Bandipora district was once known for frequent cross LoC shelling but is emerging as a major border tourism spot after the ceasefire on LoC and improvement in situation.
Singh, who was in Gurez valley for the first time, said the elections were unlike any other state. “The elections of J&K are no normal elections. It is the manifestation of power of India’s democracy and its strength. Every person has performed his role in forming this nation. And you can play this role by giving your vote,” he said.
The minsiter was canvassing for the party’s candidate Faqeer Mohammad Khan in Gurez where he is pitched against five others including National Conference’s Nazir Ahmad Khan, Peoples Conference’s M Hamza Lone, and DPAP leader, Nisar Ahmad Lone.
Singh said that after Article 370 revocation, Pakistan was bewildered and is continuously trying to revive the terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir. “It doesn’t want democracy in J&K but looking at you (people), I am hopeful that no power can weaken democracy here,” he said.
“Pakistan must not forget that the ‘New India’ not only strikes at terrorism on this side of the border, but also, if need be, we can battle on the other side of the border as well. And those sitting on the other of the border who are conspiring to damage India, I want to clearly warn them that if there is any major terror activity in India, ‘jahan baithe ho, waha ghus kar marenge (then we will find you and strike you wherever you are)’,” he said.
The minister said Pakistan has continuously attempted to defame India and Kashmir at international forums. “This time Turkey stopped supporting Pakistan as that country has understood its intentions. Turkey didn’t talk about Kashmir in the UN general assembly this time which used to continuously support Pakistan’s stance. The bewilderment of Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif was clear this time at the UN,” he added.
Earlier this week, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan did not mention the issue of Kashmir in his speech at the United Nations General Assembly, for the first time since 2019. On Friday, Pakistan once again raised the Kashmir issue at the UN General Assembly, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif saying that to “secure durable peace”, India should reverse the Abrogation of Article 370.
Invoking former PM Vajpayee’s “insaniyat (humanity)”, “jamhooriyat (democracy)” aur “Kashmiriyat (brotherhood)”, Singh said the day all these three things will be together, nobody will stop Kashmir from becoming heaven again.
Singh said that PM Modi has given a special package for J&K which slowly has reached an amount of ₹90,000 crore.
“And this is such a big amount. The money which our government has provided to Jammu and Kashmir is much more than the money for which Pakistan was pleading with the International Monetary Fund,” he said.
