Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has said that India will not require force to take back Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK) as such demands are coming on its own from the people there.

Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Singh further asserted that the POK is India’s and will always remain India’s. He said India will never give up its claim on the region.

The POK refers to the part of the Jammu and Kashmir that Pakistan has illegally occupied since 1947-48.

In an interview with PTI in the midst of ongoing Lok Sabha elections, Singh further said that the ground situation has improved in J&K and that a time will come when the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) will not be required in the state. He also said that elections will also be held in the union territory. He, however, did not give a timeline for either of these steps.

‘POK was, is, and will always remain ours’

Singh said that “POK was, is, and will remain ours”. He added that India will not have to use force to merge the region as natives are themselves making demands for such a merger.

“I think India will not have to do anything. The way the ground situation has changed in Jammu and Kashmir, the way the region is witnessing economic progress and the way peace has returned there, I think demands will emerge from people of PoK that they should merge with India,” said Singh to PTI.

Regarding POK and India’s relationship with Pakistan, the Narendra Modi government has maintained that talks and terror cannot go along together. Previously, Singh has said that only talks with Pakistan will be only held regarding POK.

“Now, if talks are held, they will only be held on the issue of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. There will be no talks on any other issue…What do they have to talk about? What is the topic? Why should there be talks? There will be a dialogue with Pakistan only after it ends support for terrorism. If Pakistan doesn’t do this, there is no reason for holding the talks,” said Singh in 2019.

‘AFPA will not be needed one day in J&K’

Citing the improved security situation in J&K under the Modi government, Singh said that AFSPA will one day be not required in the region.

The AFSPA is a law that allows the security personnel to detain a person without any warrant. The law further allows the forces to conduct operations force, including lethal force, without the risk of any prosecution.

Singh, however, told PTI that the issue of the AFSPA lies with the Union Home Ministry and it will be the one taking actions on it.

“The way the situation is improving in Jammu and Kashmir, I think a time will come when AFSPA will no longer be required there. It is my view and it is for the Home Ministry to decide on it,” said Singh.

Referring to the Pakistan’s use of proxies in J&K, Singh said that it is an attempt to destabilise India and “we will not allow it to happen”.

‘Grave concern’: Singh on ex-Pakistan minister’s praise for Rahul

In the interview, Singh also lashed out at the “praise” of Chaudhry Fawad Hussain, a former minister in the government of Imran Khan in Pakistan, for Rahul Gandhi and said that it was a matter of “grave concern”.

Singh said that Congress must explain how a country —Pakistan— that attempts to destabilise India expresses “deep love” for tis leader.

Singh was referring to a post by Hussain on X (formerly Twitter) in which he hailed Rahul as a socialist and praised him and great-grandfather Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.

“Rahul Gandhi, like his great-grandfather Jawaharlal, has a socialist in him. Problems of India and Pak are so same even after 75 years of Partition, Rahul Sahib in his last night speech said 30 or 50 families owns 70% of India wealth. So is in Pakistan where only a business club called Pak Business Council and few real estate Seth’s own 75% of Pak wealth. Fair distribution of wealth is biggest challenge of capitalism,” said Hussain, appearing to praise Rahul’s proposed financial and institutional survey along with wealth redistribution.

Singh further slammed Congress for “playing with fire” as the party is attempting to create a Hindu-Muslim divide and disturb the social harmony.

“They are attempting to create Hindu-Muslim divide for electoral gains. The Congress is trying to create tensions on religious lines. The Congress wants to disturb social harmony. They look at the Muslim community only as a vote bank. I have a suggestion for them — politics should not be done only for forming governments. The aim of politics should be for nation building,” said Singh to PTI.

Singh further said, “Rahul Gandhi has no fire but Congress is playing with fire.”

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Demands will emerge from people of PoK that they should merge with India: Rajnath Singh