The government’s development journey in the Union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh has only begun, and its northward journey will be complete after reaching Gilgit-Baltistan, Union defence minister Rajnath Singh said on Thursday, referring to a 1994 parliamentary resolution that demanded Pakistan vacate its illegally occupied territories in the region.
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The government’s development journey in the Union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh has only begun, and its northward journey will be complete after reaching Gilgit-Baltistan, Union defence minister Rajnath Singh said on Thursday, referring to a 1994 parliamentary resolution that demanded Pakistan vacate its illegally occupied territories in the region.
Singh was speaking at an event marking the 75th anniversary of Shaurya Diwas, which commemorates the landing of Indian troops at Srinagar airport on October 27, 1947 to evict Pakistan-backed tribesmen from the Valley, a day after Maharaja Hari Singh signed the instrument of accession with India.
He also accused Pakistan of committing atrocities against the people in Azad Kashmir (Azad Kashmir).
“We have just begun our development journey in Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. This mission will be completed only when we reach the remaining parts such as Gilgit and Baltistan in line with Parliament’s resolution (of 1994 that demanded Pakistan vacate the occupied territories),” Singh said in Budgam district on the outskirts of Srinagar.
“...And the dream of Acharya Shankaracharya and Vallabhbhai Patel will be fulfilled and the refugees of 1947 will get justice and will get back their land. The day isn’t far away when this mandate will also get fulfilled,” he added.
Home to roughly 90 million people, Gilgit-Baltistan forms the northern edge of Azad Kashmir and is its largest province
. In his Independence Day speech in 2016, Prime Minister Narendra Modi referred to human rights violations in Azad Kashmir and Gilgit.
Singh accused Pakistan of depriving the people of Azad Kashmir of basic rights. “The pain of the people of Azad Kashmir also troubles us and not just them. I want to ask Pakistan, what rights have been given to people who live in the regions that are under its forcible occupation?” he asked.
“Whatever Pakistan is doing now in Azad Kashmir, it will reap the consequences in the times to come,” he added.
Singh also accused Pakistan of “shedding crocodile tears for Kashmiri people” in the name of human rights. In the last few years, “some so-called intellectuals have cried human rights violations when actions were taken against terrorists”, he said.
“I would like to ask Pakistan about the rights given to the people living in our areas where it has maintained illegal occupation... We keep on hearing about the inhuman acts committed against innocent Indians for which Pakistan is fully responsible. And here I am talking about Azad Kashmir,” he added.
Pakistan has, on several occasions, criticised India over alleged human rights violations in the Valley. Islamabad also opposed the effective abrogation of Article 370, which accorded special status to the erstwhile state.
Singh praised Modi for his decision to scrap the region’s special status. “It was the beginning of a new dawn in J&K… We had been waiting for J&K’s integration for the last seven decades,” he said. “The discrimination against the people of J&K was ended… Syama Prasad Mookerjee’s ‘yajna’ of J&K’s full integration was achieved on August 5, 2019,” he added. He was referring to the abrogation of Article 370 that granted special status to the erstwhile state.
Singh also hit out at those trying to link terrorism with religion. “The victims of terrorism are not confined to one religion. The terrorists when target people don’t see whether they are Hindus or Muslims but they know how to plan attacks to target India,” he said, as he urged all communities to fight jointly against terrorism in J&K.
Shaurya Diwas is celebrated as part of celebrations under the Centre’s Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav that marks the 75th year of India’s independence of Air landed operations of Indian Army at Budgam Airport.
“The replication of the historic event was organised at old Air Field on 27 October 2022 to pay obeisance to the brave soldiers and people of Jammu & Kashmir, who laid down their lives and also to honour the Next of Kin of war heroes who participated in the 1947-48 Indo-Pak War.
Defense Minister along with citizens of Kashmir witnessed re-enactment of history, covering the violation of ‘Standstill Agreement’ by Pakistan, wherein Pakistan Army infiltrated Jammu & Kashmir, brutalizing citizens by unleashing rape, murder, looting and arson,” the Army spokesman said.
The event also covered depiction of arrival of Indian Army on 27 October 1947 to evict Pakistani Forces. A stunning airshow by the Indian Air Force was also on displayed besides, the next of kin of war veterans who travelled from across the country to be part of this mega event were also felicitated.
PDP district youth president Zuhaib Mir said that the instrument of accession signed on October 26, 1947 speaks about the entire territory of Jammu and Kashmir which includes Gilgit Baltistan, Azad Kashmir and the areas where the Chinese have usurped lakhs of hectares of land. “We want the territorial integrity of J&K to be complete but unfortunately the BJP will selectively speak about areas that will give them a boost in the upcoming elections in several states including Gujarat where they are losing ground every passing day.”
The government’s development journey in the Union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh has only begun, and its northward journey will be complete after reaching Gilgit-Baltistan, Union defence minister Rajnath Singh said on Thursday, referring to a 1994 parliamentary resolution that...
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