VK Singh
On Tuesday, former Indian Army chief and current Union minister VK Singh predicted that Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, or PoK, would ally with India on its own. In response to a query regarding the demands of Shia Muslims calling for the opening of the Kargil border crossing with India, Singh gave his response.
During the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Parivartan Sankalp Yatra program, Singh declared at a news conference in Rajasthan’s Dausa, “PoK will merge with India on its own; wait for some time.”
The PoK has been split into Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir. According to the BBC, there are roughly 4.5 million people living in PoK. 97% of them are Muslims, and 3% are members of other minorities, such as Christians and Hindus.
In response to Singh’s remarks, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said the move to integrate the PoK with India will be welcomed.
#WATCH | Dausa, Rajasthan | "PoK will merge with India on its own, wait for some time," says Union Minister Gen VK Singh (Retd.) when asked that people in PoK have demanded that they be merged with India. (11.09.2023) pic.twitter.com/xG2qy7hXEm
— ANI (@ANI) September 12, 2023
“An ‘Akhand Bharat’ has always been a dream of ours. We frequently claim ownership of PoK. But he ought to have made an effort to make it ours back when the last Army chief was in that position. How do you manage it right now? Raut informed the media.
Raut made fun of the federal government over the continuing unrest in Manipur. “We will welcome it if any effort is made towards that,” he continued, “but before that, make Manipur peaceful.”
In response to Singh’s remarks, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said the move to integrate the PoK with India will be welcomed.
“An ‘Akhand Bharat’ has always been a dream of ours. We frequently claim ownership of PoK. But he ought to have made an effort to make it ours back when the last Army chief was in that position. How do you manage it right now? Raut informed the media.
Raut made fun of the federal government over the continuing unrest in Manipur. “We will welcome it if any effort is made towards that,” he continued, “but before that, make Manipur peaceful.”
