India has set one condition for dialogues with Pakistan – that it stop terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Sunday.
Singh, who was addressing a rally in the Banihal assembly segment of Ramban district in Jammu and Kashmir in support of BJP candidate Mohammed Saleem Bhat, hit out at the National Conference and the People’s Democratic Party, which have called for resumption of talks with Pakistan in their manifestoes.
"Some people want us to talk with Pakistan. I want to tell them... Pakistan should stop taking support of terrorism," Rajnath Singh added
Who would not like to improve relations with neighbouring countries? He asked.
Claiming that he was aware of “the reality, that you can change a friend but not your neighbor,” Singh added, “we want improved relations with Pakistan but first of all they should stop terrorism," he told the well-attended gathering here.
India will start a dialogue with Pakistan when the country stops sponsoring terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, he added.
"Among those who fell to terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, 85 percent were Muslims. Terror incidents used to be a routine affair in Kashmir. Were Hindus being killed in the terror acts? I have been a home minister, and I know the highest number of Muslims lost their lives in the incidents of terror," Singh said.
Earlier in the day, the minister addressed an election rally at Ramban nearby in support of party candidate Rakesh Singh Thakur and said more than 40,000 people had lost their lives in terror incidents in Jammu and Kashmir over the past three decades.
Bhat is pitted against former Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president and ex-minister Vikar Rasool Wani who is looking for a hat-trick of wins from the Banihal seat.
National Conference's Sajad Shaheen and the PDP's Imtiyaz Shan make it a multi-cornered contest.
Accusing the NC and PDP of having sympathy for terrorists, Singh said the BJP finished terrorism in J&K to a large extent.
"We will not tolerate terror activities at any cost. Is taking the lives of Hindus, Muslims or Christian by terrorists is acceptable to you?"
Asserting that Article 370 had become history and would never be restored, Rajnath Singh said, "We have finished this constitutional provision to end your misery and bring prosperity to J&K.
“What did Article 370 give to you? The Congress, NC and the PDP used it to mislead you.
"Who has created the atmosphere of terror in J&K – the BJP or those who ruled J&K for a long time?" Singh asked.
He added that change was visible in J-K with terror on decline, and roads, highways and government schemes reaching every nook and corner of the union territory.
"We know there are many who try to create hatred against us. But you know me and you have seen the working of the prime minister. We never do politics on the basis of caste, creed and religion. We do politics based on justice and humanity," the defence minister said, urging people to vote for the party candidate and ensure his victory.
He said schemes brought by the Modi government benefit every section of society as "we treat everyone, whether a Hindu, Muslim or Christian, living on the soil of India as our family".
But the Congress, NC and PDP have never done justice with J-K and always pursue discriminatory policies, he said.
"I want to tell them that politics should not be done to form governments by misleading people but our effort should be in the direction of building society and nation," he said, adding PM Modi wants to make India a developed nation and J&K a developed state.
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