Hindustan Times (Jalandhar)

FORGET KASHMIR: RAJNATH TO PAKISTAN

- Sunil Rahar & Neeraj Mohan letterschd@hindustant­imes.com n

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday told Pakistan to forget Kashmir and instead fight an “honest battle” against terrorism, warning that no power can stop its disintegra­tion if it continued with its rant and did not mend its ways.

ROHTAK/KARNAL : Union defence minister Rajnath Singh focused on Pakistan, Jammu and Kashmir, Balakot airstrikes and national security in his speeches in poll-bound Haryana on Sunday. He also warned Pakistan to fight terrorism honestly or it would be divided.

Addressing a rally in Rai constituen­cy of Sonepat district, Singh said, “I urge Pakistan to work honestly to fight terrorism, otherwise it would be divided into several parts. We have the ability to fight against fundamenta­list forces.”

He added that if Pakistan was unable to eradicate terrorism, India was always ready to help it. “There is a problem with Pakistan that it does not want to fight against terrorism and is giving regular support and cooperatio­n to terrorists on its soil,” he added.

Issuing a warning to Pakistan, he added, “We have never attacked any country nor have we tried to sneak into our neighbours’ territory. Pakistan must forget about Jammu and Kashmir; it is an integral part of a united India.”

Later, referring to the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A in J&K, he added at another rally in Rajput-dominated Assandh assembly segment, “Hamne Jo Kaha Woh Karke Dikhaya (We did what we promised.”

Hailing Prime Minister Modi for these decisions, he added, “The era of “Do Pradhan, Do Nishan aur Do Savindhan (Two heads, two symbols and two constituti­ons had ended.”

‘CONG CRITICISM STRENGTHEN­ED PAK’

Attacking the Congress, the defence minister claimed that its leaders had ‘strengthen­ed Pakistan’ and created a controvers­y by criticisin­g him after he wrote ‘Om’ on a fighter plane (Rafale) and tied a ‘raksha bandhan to it’. “The Congress had criticised me for offering prayers at the time we (India) got the first Rafale fighter, of 36 jets in France. This was done to strengthen Pakistan. If we had the Rafale fighter before this, I think we need not have gone to Pakistan for Balakot air strikes, and terror camps could be eliminated by sitting in India,” he added.

“We need your votes, as every vote given to BJP will give strength to the country,” he added.

 ??  ?? Rajnath Singh
Rajnath Singh
 ?? ANI ?? Union defence minister Rajnath Singh holding a mace in Sonepat on Sunday.
ANI Union defence minister Rajnath Singh holding a mace in Sonepat on Sunday.

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