‘Who is responsible for 45,000 deaths in J&K?': Union minister Anurag Thakur to Rahul Gandhi

Rahul Gandhi had hit out at Amit Shah over the latter blaming Jawaharlal Nehru for Pakistan illegally occupying a part of J&K, now known as PoK.

Published on: Dec 13, 2023, 20:42:48 IST

By HT News Desk

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Union minister Anurag Thakur on Wednesday slammed Congress MP Rahul Gandhi over the latter criticising Union home minister Amit Shah who had blamed Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru for the instability in Jammu and Kashmir.

During his reply in the Rajya Sabha on the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill, 2023 and Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2023, Shah on Monday had blamed India's first prime minister for Pakistan illegally occupying a part of Jammu and Kashmir.

"I want to give a reference to Sam Manekshaw. He said at one place that when the Pakistanis were attacking Kashmir, then he was busy in discussions (don't want to name the person). Sam Manekshaw was present at a meeting in which Sardar Patel told Nehru, "Do you want Kashmir or not?" Then the decision to send the army was taken. If there was no ceasefire at an appropriate time, PoK would not have been there. Why was the matter taken to the UN?" Shah had said.

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Responding to Shah's remark, Gandhi had said,“Pandit Nehru dedicated his life for this country. He was in jail for years, Amit Shah ji does not know history. I don't expect that he would know history as he keeps rewriting it."

Hitting out at the Wayanad MP, Thakur told ANI, “History will never forgive former PM Jawaharlal Nehru and the Congress. The nation's history holds witness to the wounds inflicted by the Congress on the country and its people for political benefits.”

ALSO READ: ‘Get PoK before 2024 polls’: Opposition to Shah over his remarks on Nehru

"Under PM Jawaharlal Nehru, India lost 45,000 soldiers and people in Jammu and Kashmir. Articles 370 and 35A existed like deep wounds on the country. I wish to ask Rahul Gandhi who he holds responsible for the death of 45,000 people. China captured over 40,000 sq km of our land during the 1962 war. More than 3000 soldiers lost their lives. Who was responsible for that?" the Union minister questioned.

He affirmed that Pakistan-occupied Kashmir would have been a part of India had PM Nehru not called an early ceasefire during the war against Pakistan in 1947.

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