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Dinesh Manhotra
Tribune News Service
Jammu, May 27
With the waving of Pakistani flags and pro-Pak slogans in Kashmir becoming a routine of late, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh today warned separatist groups against engineering anti-India activities to instigate Kashmiri youth.
Rajnath asserted that anti-India activities would not be tolerated at any cost and urged the Kashmiri youth not to fall prey to nefarious designs of such elements.
He also warned Pakistan to stop meddling into India’s internal affairs for its “own good”.
Addressing the “Jan Kalyan Parv” rally, organised to mark the completion of one year of Narendra Modi led government at the Centre, Rajnath warned that those waving Pakistan flags and indulging in anti-India activities would be dealt with severely.
“No one will be allowed to harm the dignity, pride, honour and sovereignty of the nation. I want to give a clear message that such misdeeds will not be tolerated anymore,” Rajnath said in a veiled attack on the Hurriyat leaders.
For the last two months, waving of Pakistan flags and shouting pro-Pak slogans have become a routine affair in the programmes of Hurriyat leaders.
The Union Minister said a handful of people in Kashmir were instigating the innocent youth and encouraging them to indulge into such anti-national activities.
“I appeal to the youth not to fall into the trap of these anti-national forces,” Rajnath said and offered to hold talks with those who want to discuss their problems.
“It pains me to see the youth being misguided. When some misguided youth raise pro-Pak slogans and wave Pakistan flags, it is not a good thing. I appeal to them not to get misguided. We need everybody’s cooperation to move forward, to take this country forward,” he said.
“We are ready to talk to everyone. Democracy is all about keeping open the channel of communication, but we won’t tolerate anybody raising pro-Pak slogans and raising Pakistani flags on the Indian territory,” the senior leader said and made it clear that he was not offering dialogue with any particular group or organisation.
Interacting with mediapersons later, Rajnath regretted that Pakistan was not responding properly to the goodwill gesture shown by India to improve relations with its neighbours.
“India has always extended the hand of friendship towards its neighbouring countries including Pakistan, but Pakistan’s response is not encouraging,” he said. “Pakistan must stop its nefarious activities if it wants its own welfare.”
He also recalled the bold initiatives taken by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to improve relations with Pakistan.
“Vajpayeeji had extended a hand of friendship towards Pakistan, but it stabbed in the back. When Prime Minister Narendra Modi took over the office a year ago, he invited all the heads of the state of the neighbouring countries to the swearing-in ceremony including the Pakistan Prime Minister,” he said.
Even as Rajnath highlighted achievements of the Modi government, controversy over the shifting of AIIMS to the Valley had a visible affect on the party’s celebrations.
Instead of highlighting achievements of the BJP government at the Centre, party leaders spent time in clarifying their position on AIIMS.
Gauging the prevailing anger, Rajnath assured the people of Jammu region of taking up the matter with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“It is really a matter of concern for the party that Jammu, which is a citadel of BJP, has observed bandh against the government on the issue of AIIMS,” Rajnath said and disclosed that he has asked Deputy Chief
Minister Nirmal Singh and state BJP president Jugal Kishore Sharma to visit Delhi so as to effectively take up the matter with the Centre.
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