Defense Min Rajnath Singh says people of PoK would soon demand assimilation into India

Defense Minister Rajnath Singh has said the people of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) would themselves want assimilation into India as Islamabad is unlikely to return the stolen part of the Valley.

He said the people of the region will force Pakistan for its assimilation into India, adding, “I believe the people of that region may not even need Pakistan’s consent for it.”

“The rate at which economic development has taken place and the way India’s stature has grown on the world stage, people of PoK have started feeling that their development lies in joining a country like India,” Singh said during an interview with IANS on March 8.

Rajnath Singh’s remarks come after External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar said that the return of the stolen part of Kashmir, currently occupied by Pakistan, was the only way to resolve the Kashmir issue.

Earlier, Singh had said that while India considers the people of PoK as its citizens, the Pakistan government calls them ‘foreigners’.

“We don’t call them foreigners. They are our people. Let them come and join us,” he had said.

“Recently, Pakistan flags were taken down in some areas of PoK, this shows the simmering anger in the region,” he said.
Rajnath Singh has repeatedly asserted that Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) is an integral part of India and has urged its residents to merge with India.

He also commented on India’s relationship with Bangladesh, saying that India always wants to maintain good relations with its neighbours and Bangladesh is also our neighbouring country.

“We always try to maintain good relations with our neighbours because (former Prime Minister) Atal Bihari Vajpayee used to say that we can change friends but not our neighbours. So, we would like to maintain good relations with Bangladesh,” he said.