National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah retorted to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s ‘PoK merger with India’ remark and said that Pakistan is “also not wearing bangles” and possesses the atomic bomb, and went on to further claim that it will “fall on us” in retaliation from across the border. His statement comes after Rajnath said that India “won’t have to capture the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir with force” as its people would themselves want to be a part of India.
“India will never give up its claim on PoK but it won't have to capture it with force because its people, on their own, would want to be part of India after seeing the development in Kashmir,” Rajnath had said earlier.
What did Abdullah say?
Reacting to the Defence Minister’s remark, the NC chief said on Sunday (May 5), “If the defence minister is saying it then go ahead. Who are we to stop. But remember, they (Pakistan) are also not wearing bangles. It has atom bombs, and unfortunately, that atom bomb will fall on us”.
Abdullah on Poonch terror attack
Citing the May 4 terror attack in Poonch in which one IAF soldier was killed in action, he expressed concerns over the “resurgence of militancy”.
One soldier was killed and four were injured as terrorists ambushed an Indian Air Force (IAF) convoy in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district on Saturday, three weeks ahead of polling in Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha constituency.
"I have time and again warned but the BJP is not ready to accept the reality. In the last four years or so, the areas which had been freed from terrorism, are seeing a resurgence of militancy, especially Srinagar city, which has witnessed repeated terror attacks, and Rajouri and Poonch," Abdullah said.
He said that during his tenure as chief minister between 2009-2014, these areas were free of militancy and the recent attack on soldiers is a “grim reminder that the situation is far away from being normal”.
Asked about his father Farooq Abdullah's demanding talks with Pakistan, he said, "Our late prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had said that we can change our friends but not neighbours. Pakistan has been our neighbour yesterday and will be there tomorrow.
"Some day, we will have to talk to our neighbour. But having said that I have always made it clear that both the countries have to build an atmosphere for talks. Pakistan has a new government in place and it should work hard to build an atmosphere for talks with India where a new government will come after elections," he said.
(With inputs from agencies)
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