Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday took a jibe at neighbouring Pakistan stating that India would have given a larger bailout package to Pakistan than what it sought from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) if it had maintained friendly relations with New Delhi.
Rajnath was addressing a poll rally in Bandipora district's Gurez assembly segment. Referring to PM Modi's development package for Jammu and Kashmir announced in 2014-15, Rajnath said, "Modi ji in 2014-15 announced a special package for development of Jammu and Kashmir which has now reached Rs 90,000 crore. The amount is much bigger than what Pakistan was seeking from the IMF (as a bailout package)."
Rajnath recalls Vajpayee's remark
He also referred to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's remarks that "we can change friends but we cannot change the neighbours". "I said, my Pakistani friends, why have strained relations, we are neighbours. If we had good relations, we would have given more money than the IMF," he added.
Pak misuses fund: Rajnath
Singh then said that the Central government gives money to Jammu and Kashmir for development while Pakistan has been misusing financial aid from other countries and IMF for a long time. "It seeks money from other countries to run a terrorism factory on its soil," he added. Emphasising Vajpayee's dream, Singh said that Kashmir will again become paradise when the former PM's dream "Insaniyat, Jamhooriyat and Kashmiriyat" in the valley is achieved.
Highlighting Pakistan's hand behind instability in Jammu and Kashmir, Singh said "Whenever we have investigated terrorism, we have found Pakistani involvement. Our successive governments have tried to make Pakistan understand that they should stop terror camps but to no avail. Pakistan is frustrated after revocation of Article 370 and is making attempts to revive terror. They do not want democracy to take roots here. (But) India is strong enough that it can take on Pakistan on its soil. If anyone in Pakistan carries out an attack on India, we can crossover and respond."
(With PTI Inputs)
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