JAMMU: Defense Minister Rajnath Singh said on Friday that council elections could be held in Jammu . Union Territory and Kashmir later this year. Rajnath was on a two-day visit to J&K and arrived Jammu on Friday.
Speaking at the event marking the 200th anniversary of Maharaja Gulab Singh’s coronation, the defense minister said the demarcation exercise was completed and now the number of seats in J&K has increased to 90, with Kashmir having 47 and Jammu. 43. “By the end of the year, there is a possibility of holding council elections in Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
Out at Pakistan to promote terrorism in J&K, Rajnath said, “Recently, efforts have been made once again to stoke hatred within J&K. There is an important role of our neighboring country in sowing the seeds of hatred here (sic). ”
“From the 1947 attacks to the recent targeted murders, there is a foreign conspiracy behind all of this. We will not allow any community to forcibly migrate from Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
He also targeted Pakistan for illegally occupying parts of Jammu & Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan and said it was never considered part of the Constitution of Pakistan, unlike India where the whole of Jammu and Kashmir part of the country.
“In 1947, when India was divided, a large part of the area was illegally occupied before Jammu and Kashmir joined. Even today, Kashmir is occupied by Pakistan, Gilgit-Baltistan is also being illegally occupied by Pakistan. The areas that Maharaja Gulab Singh added to Jammu and Kashmir are being claimed by Pakistan as theirs,” he said.
Speaking at the event marking the 200th anniversary of Maharaja Gulab Singh’s coronation, the defense minister said the demarcation exercise was completed and now the number of seats in J&K has increased to 90, with Kashmir having 47 and Jammu. 43. “By the end of the year, there is a possibility of holding council elections in Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
Out at Pakistan to promote terrorism in J&K, Rajnath said, “Recently, efforts have been made once again to stoke hatred within J&K. There is an important role of our neighboring country in sowing the seeds of hatred here (sic). ”
“From the 1947 attacks to the recent targeted murders, there is a foreign conspiracy behind all of this. We will not allow any community to forcibly migrate from Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
He also targeted Pakistan for illegally occupying parts of Jammu & Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan and said it was never considered part of the Constitution of Pakistan, unlike India where the whole of Jammu and Kashmir part of the country.
“In 1947, when India was divided, a large part of the area was illegally occupied before Jammu and Kashmir joined. Even today, Kashmir is occupied by Pakistan, Gilgit-Baltistan is also being illegally occupied by Pakistan. The areas that Maharaja Gulab Singh added to Jammu and Kashmir are being claimed by Pakistan as theirs,” he said.
