Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, while reacting to Imran Khan’s speech, said that the Centre had provided a package to Jammu and Kashmir for development and was a much larger package compared to what Pakistan was seeking from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). He also said that while India was spending money in J-K for development, Pakistan misused the bailout money.
Defense Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday taunted Pakistan with this remark: “Had Pakistan had friendly relations with New Delhi, India would have given Pakistan an even larger bailout package than it has sought from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).”
Rajnath was speaking at a poll rally in the Gurez assembly segment of Bandipora district. Referring to PM Modi’s development package for Jammu and Kashmir announced in 2014-15, Rajnath said, “Modi ji in 2014-15 announced a special package for development of Jammu and Kashmir, which has now reached Rs 90,000 crore. The amount is much bigger than what Pakistan was seeking from the IMF (as a bailout package).”.
Rajnath Recollects Vajpayee’s Statement
He also quoted the words of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, saying, “We can change friends, but we cannot change the neighbors.” “I said, my Pakistani friends, why have strained relations? We are neighbors. If we had good relations, we would have given more money than the IMF,” he added.
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Pakistan Misuses Fund: Rajnath
Singh then said that the central government gives money to Jammu and Kashmir for development, while Pakistan has been misusing financial aid from other countries and the IMF for a long time. “It seeks money from other countries to run a terrorism factory on its soil,” he added. Emphasizing Vajpayee’s dream, Singh said Kashmir will once again become paradise when the former PM’s dream “Insaniyat, Jamhooriyat, and Kashmiriyat” in the valley is achieved.
Underscoring Pakistan’s hand behind instability in Jammu and Kashmir, Singh said, “Whenever we have investigated terrorism, we have found Pakistani involvement. Our successive governments have tried to make Pakistan understand that they should stop terror camps, but to no avail. Pakistan is frustrated after the revocation of Article 370 and is making attempts to revive terror. They do not want democracy to take roots here. But India is strong enough that it can take on Pakistan on its soil. If anyone in Pakistan carries out an attack on India, we can crossover and respond.”
