Defense Minister Rajnath Singh said that a democratic process would soon begin in Jammu and Kashmir but he did not specify when.
He stated that when enduring peace is restored in the Union Territory, the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) will be repealed.
He made these declarations at a Security Conclave hosted by the J&K unit of the BJP, in the presence of Dr. Jitendra Singh, the Union Minister of State in the PMO, Ravinder Raina, the head of the BJP in the Union Territory, and Jugal Kishore Sharma, a Lok Sabha member from Jammu.
Dr. Jitendra Singh complimented Rajnath Singh’s measures in his address to ease the suffering of border villages that are subjected to intermittent shooting from the opposing side of the Line of Control (LoC), as well as other welfare initiatives.
The Defence Minister issued a warning to Pakistan, saying that India is becoming more powerful and that it can now strike both sides of the border.
Rajnath Singh stated in his address to the conclave and in response to media inquiries that the democratic process would begin soon in Jammu and Kashmir but he could not provide a particular timeline because Jammu and Kashmir merely completed five years of Central Rule last week.
After the special status was revoked, he stated that the government’s goal was to quickly bring back normalcy to Jammu and Kashmir.
To meet the long-standing desires of the people, we are dedicated to kicking off the democratic process as soon as feasible in the region, he added
Refusing to provide a specific date for the Union Territory’s assembly elections. Rajnath, though, expressed certainty that the procedure wouldn’t be excessively delayed.
“While I am unable to give you an exact timeline, I can guarantee that the procedure won’t take too long.
An end to AFSPA
The Defence Minister stated that before revoking the AFSPA in Jammu & Kashmir, he would first need to see the development of long-term peace in the UT.
In a declaration, he expressed his eager anticipation for a future of peace in Jammu and Kashmir, along with the eventual repeal of AFSPA from the area.
He asserted that Pakistan has no locus standi in regard to Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK).
The PoJK is solely a part of India, according to a unanimous vote approved by the Indian Parliament.
In the Parliament, not just one, but at least a few initiatives with this goal have now been approved,” he stated.
The day when the people of PoJK would demand that they want to be a part of Jammu and Kashmir is not far off, He Added.
India’s Warning: Powerful Strikes Across Border
The Defence Minister asserted that India is becoming more powerful and sent a subliminal warning, but he avoided mentioning the country.
He warned that if necessary, India might attack from both sides of the border.
He said that “India has taken major action against terrorism under the Modi Government,” citing the surgical strikes that were conducted across the border in 2016 and the airstrike on Balakot in 2019.
India is not the same as it once was, It is becoming stronger. India is capable of attacking both sides of the border if necessary, according to Rajnath.
He added that the surgical strikes were decided upon by Prime Minister Modi in barely 10 minutes.
Tragedies: Pulwama and Uri Attacks
“Pulwama and Uri were regrettable events… The Prime Minister made his decision to use surgical attacks in under 10 minutes, demonstrating his tremendous will.
The audience applauded as he stated, “Our men not only neutralized the terrorists on this side but also crossed the border to end them.
According to the defense minister, under the direction of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Central Government began to take decisive action against terrorism, and for the first time, both the nation and the rest of the world understood what zero tolerance for terrorism meant.
He claimed that India had altered global perceptions of terrorism, especially those of the United States.
He claimed that Jammu and Kashmir have been particularly hard hit by terrorism for a long time and that locals are aware of how the disease of terrorism erodes society.
He stated that despite the fact that the entire terrorist network had been operating in Jammu and Kashmir for years, “strict action has been taken today against that network by weakening it to a great extent.”
Along with the death of terrorists, we have also stopped the flow of weapons and drugs and are currently working to dismantle the network of Under Ground Workers that operate here.
Counterterrorism
He added that the recent joint statement released by US President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Narendra Modi clearly demonstrates how India has changed the mindset of the entire world, including America, on the issue of terrorism.
The majority of the world’s major nations are now working together to combat terrorism, he said.
The UN’s list of terrorist organizations, which includes Lashkar-e-Toiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, and Hizbul, Mujahideen, is clearly addressed in this Joint Statement.
Additionally, it has been mentioned that Pakistan should forbid any terrorist activities from taking place there and should forbid anyone from using its territory for such activities.
