Amid the ongoing protests over inflation in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), Amit Shah on Tuesday reiterated during an election rally in West Bengal's Serampore that "PoK belongs to India and we will take it." Shah's remarks came in at the time as PoK is simmering with unrest as the people are protesting against inflated electricity bills and taxes, and high prices of wheat flour.
The Union Home Minister also said that when the I.N.D.I.A bloc was ruling, strikes used to happen in India's part of Kashmir. But after PM Modi came to power, the strikes happen in PoK. "Earlier slogans of Azadi, stone pelting kind of things used to happen on our part, now it all happens in PoK," Shah added.
During the protest, clashes erupted between authorities and protestors at PoK's capital Muzaffarabad, and in other areas including Mirpur and Dadyal.
The Awami Action Committee had organised a protest demanding tax-free electricity sourced from the Mangla Dam and subsidised wheat flour. It was prompted by raids by the cops, which led to the arrest of various leaders and activists.
Ever since Congress's Mani Shankar Aiyar's remarks that "India should respect Pakistan as it has atom bombs" created a political storm, Union Minister Amit Shah has been repeatedly heard declaring at election rallies that India will stake claim to Pakistan Occupied Kashmir as it is an integral part of the nation.
Amit Shah Asks Rahul Gandhi To Declare His Stand On PoK
On Tuesday, Amit Shah had reiterated during his rallies in Uttar Pradesh that BJP "proudly" declares that PoK is a part of India and that it will stake claim to the territory. Besides this, Shah also dared the Gandhi scion to clarify his stand on the issue.
Shah made similar statements on PoK at rallies in Telangana, Kaushambhi, and other places, in the past few days.
Making a similar statement at an election rally for BJP candidate Hemant Savra at Palghar, Shah stated: "The PoK was, is and will remain an integral part of India. This is the stated position of our government. And no power in the world can change this reality.”
During a poll rally in Kaushambhi, Shah stated: "PoK is an integral part of India and we will take it back."
"Rahul Gandhi might be scared of Pakistan's atom bombs, but we are not," he added.
The Union Minister also accused the grand old party of nurturing Article 370 like an "illegitimate child" for nearly 70 years.
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