We consider you as our own: Rajnath urging PoK residence to join India

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday asked the people of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) to join India, saying they are considered “our own” unlike in Pakistan where they are treated as “foreigners”.

At an election rally in Ramban constituency of Jammu and Kashmir, Rajnath Singh appealed to the people to support the BJP to bring more development in J&K, saying this development would be so much that the people of PoK would say we don’t want to live in Pakistan and will come to India.

"Support the BJP to form the next government in J-K so that we can facilitate massive development in the region. There will be so much development that the people in PoK on seeing this should say that we do not want to live with Pakistan and instead will go to India," he said.

Singh referred to a recent affidavit filed by Pakistan’s additional solicitor general which said PoK was foreign territory.

“I want to tell PoK people that Pakistan considers you as foreigners, but we in India don’t consider you so. We consider you as our own and so come and join us,” he said.

The BJP leader also attacked the National Conference-Congress alliance over its poll promise of restoring Article 370 and said it’s not possible as long as BJP is there.

He also accused them of scaremongering over Article 370.

“We did it and nothing happened”.

Defence Minister’s election rally was in support of BJP candidate Rakesh Singh Thakur after Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s visit to the region where he released the BJP’s election manifesto and met party leaders.

Polling in Jammu and Kashmir will be held in three phases: September 18, September 25 and October 1. Counting will be on October 8.