Defence Minister Rajnath Singh attacked Pakistan while addressing a gathering during the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections on Sunday. Rajnath Singh praised the people of the Union Territory for the voting percentage during the first phase of elections and said that Pakistan is feeling pain in its stomach seeing democracy flourishing in India. Let us tell you that assembly elections are being held for the first time in Jammu and Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370.
Rajnath Singh attacked the Congress, National Conference (NC) and People's Democratic Party (PDP) for talking about the restoration of Article 370 of the Constitution in their manifestos. He said that these parties are misleading the people. He termed these parties as representatives of Pakistan.
He said that more than 61 percent people have participated in the voting in the first phase of the assembly elections of Jammu and Kashmir. The record-breaking figure of 58 percent voting has been crossed in the Lok Sabha elections. This election has sent a message to the world that Article 370 has been removed because it is in the interest of India.
Rajnath Singh said that people in the country are waving the flag of democracy. This is causing pain to Pakistan. We do not want any enmity with Pakistan. We are in favour of good relations with all the neighbours, but Pakistan keeps doing nefarious activities against India to divert the attention of its people.
Rajnath Singh referred to an alleged statement by Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif in which he said that the country and the alliance of Congress and National Conference are on the same side on the restoration of Article 370.
Rajnath Singh said who has given the neighbouring country the right to interfere in the internal affairs of Jammu and Kashmir. He said that he wants to ask Congress, NC and PDP whether they are contesting elections as representatives of Pakistan?
The Defence Minister said that people in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) are very distressed and they want to join India.
He said, "They are seeing the changes in Jammu and Kashmir and the progress of India under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. They are considering joining India for their prosperity and they no longer want to live with them (Pakistan). People were discriminated against on the basis of religion and PoK residents were considered "their own".
