Hope PoK will become part of India by 2024, says Union minister

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The Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) has always been a contentious issue since India’s independence. PoK has been under the illegitimate control of Pakistan since October 22, 1947, when tribal lashkars supported by Pakistan invaded the princely state of J&K and soon afterwards the ruler of the state acceded to India. India and Pakistan, two neighbouring countries, have been embroiled in tensions over the Kashmir issue ever since. 

India has always maintained that Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) is part of the state of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), and hence an integral part of India. The current ruling establishment headed by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the Centre had even said this on the floor of the house. Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Aksai Chin is an integral and inseparable part of Jammu and Kashmir and India, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on August 6, 2019, said in Lok Sabha. "Whenever I talk about Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Aksai Chin comes under it and can die for it." 

Now another BJP Member of Parliament (MP) and Union Minister of State for Panchayati Raj, Kapil Patil, made a statement in Maharashtra which has created a stir in Pakistan. Addressing the public at an event in Kalyan, near Mumbai, Kapil Patil said, "Let's see and wait, maybe by 2024 something big will happen. There is no harm in expecting that Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) will become part of India." "Only Modi can do all these things, that is why we should not think about small issues like the prices of onion, potato, cereals etc. If there is no country then from where will we buy onions and potatoes? The country should be saved first. PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah have taken up the task of saving the country," he added. 

The Minister of State further briefed how Prime Minister Modi and Amit Shah are working tirelessly day and night to solve the problem of Kashmir.  Describing the abrogation of article 370 from Jammu & Kashmir, Kapil Patil said, I remember when PM Modi was speaking in the Rajya Sabha, then PM had made a mention that when Narasimha Rao was the Prime Minister, he had taken a joint parliament session. 

Speaking at a lecture series, the Lok Sabha MP from Bhiwandi made a reference to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's reply in the Rajya Sabha on the Kashmir issue in 2015. “I remember when Modi gave the answer in the Rajya Sabha, Modi mentioned that when Narasimha Rao was the Prime Minister, he had convened a joint session of Parliament. He had then passed the law. It said that Kashmir was the biggest problem in the country. This problem will be solved only if India takes over Pakistan-occupied Kashmir at some point. Then Modi had said to the Opposition that this was your job. We are doing it because you did not do it." 

The resolution he referred to was passed by Parliament on February 22 1994, during PV Narasimha Rao's tenure as prime minister. It was later ratified again during Atal Bihari Vajpayee's regime. PM Modi used the resolution passed by a Congress government to silence the party. The resolution has two key points - it rules against any interference in the internal affairs of Kashmir and paints Pakistan as an illegal occupant of Indian territory.

Kapil Patil appealed to the people to give priority to the country and help keep the country safe.

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