Addressing a public rally in Sikkim on Sunday, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said that the ruling NDA government will find a permanent solution to the Kashmir issue. His assertion came amid continued unrest
in the valley.
“Despite our several efforts to build friendship with them, Pakistan did not understand our initiative. Today also, they try to destabilise India by fomenting trouble in Kashmir,” said Singh according to news agency ANI.
“But I want to tell all of you that our government will find a permanent solution to the Kashmir issue,” he was quoted as saying.
Maintaining that Kashmir is an integral part of India, Singh said: “We know the truth that Kashmir, Kashmiris and Kashmiriyat are ours.” (Hum iss sachchai ko jaante hain ki Kashmir bhi humara hai, Kashmiri bhi humare hain aur Kashmiriyat bhi humari hai).
He accused Pakistan of trying to destabilise the country despite India’s best efforts at maintaining cordial relations.
“We had invited Pakistan PM also to the oath taking ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014 along with leaders of all neighbouring countries, not only for shaking hands but for joining our hearts. But, there had been no change in Pakistan’s attitude towards India and it wanted to destabilise India. We hope that Pakistan will change. If it does not change, we have to change them. After globalisation, one country can’t destabilise another country as the international community will not forget it,” Singh said.
Speaking on the differences between India and China regarding the border, he said that there can be a perception based difference regarding border issues, but there has been a drop in incidents of transgression by China on the border. “Go to other countries, you will notice the change in perception of the people towards India then and now”, he said according to ANI.
The Home Minister also attended a conference of Himalayan states to review the security situation and development activities along the Sino-Indian border. He visited the Nathu La border post and a few posts of Indo-Tibetan Border Police and Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) along the Sino-Indian and Indo-Nepal border respectively, on his three-day visit to Sikkim.
