'Ready To Start Dialogue If...': Rajnath Singh Lays Out India's Condition For Talks With Pakistan

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also urged the residents of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir to come and join India as the country considers them as our own unlike Pakistan which treats you as foreigners.

File photo of Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

Source : PTI

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday said he is ready to start dialogue with Pakistan if it stops supporting terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir.

 

"Pakistan do one thing that is stop giving support of terrorism. Who would not like to improve relations with neighbouring countries? Because I know the reality that you can change a friend but not your neighbour. We want improved relations with Pakistan but first of all they should stop terrorism," Rajnath Singh said while addressing an election rally in Banihal. 

#WATCH | Banihal, J&K: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh says, "We will not accept terrorist activities under any circumstances. Some people talk about negotiating with Pakistan. I say Pakistan should do one thing, stop resorting to terrorism. Who would not want better relations… pic.twitter.com/v63TtZGldC

— ANI (@ANI) September 8, 2024

Rajnath Singh is in Kashmir to campaign for the BJP ahead of the assembly polls in the Union Territory.

 

Singh said Article 370 of the Constitution that granted special status to J&K was revoked to end the misery of the people and make the region prosperous.

 

The defence minister further said when Pakistan stops sponsoring terrorism in the UT, India will start dialogue with them.

 

"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 on Sunday, Rajnath Singh addressed an election rally in nearby Ramban in support of party candidate Rakesh Singh Thakur and said more than 40,000 people lost their lives in terror incidents in Jammu and Kashmir.

Join India, We Consider You Our Own: Rajnath Singh To PoK Residents

Rajnath Singh also urged the residents of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir to come and join India as the country considers them as our own unlike Pakistan which treats you as foreigners.

 

While speaking during an election rally in the Ramban seat, he said there is a sea change in the overall security situation in Jammu and Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019.

 

He said the sea change witnessed in the overall security situation in the UT since August 2019 means that youths now carry laptops and computers in their hands instead of pistols and revolvers.

 

"Now, nobody dares to fire bullets at people in Srinagar, he said.Support the BJP to form the next government in J-K so that we can facilitate massive development in the region. There will be so much development that the people in PoK on seeing this should say that we do not want to live with Pakistan and instead will go to India," the defence minister said.

 

"I want to tell PoK residents that Pakistan considers you foreigners, but the people in India do not consider you so. We consider you our own and so come and join us," he said.