NEW DELHI —
The Kashmir issue continues to dominate national discourse, with External
Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar asserting that the matter is "mostly
solved." However, he added that India is still waiting for the return of
the "stolen part" — a reference to Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK),
which remains under Pakistan’s control.
EAM
Jaishankar's remarks have sparked a wave of support from key political leaders,
including members of the BJP and Congress, who unanimously agree that PoK is an
integral part of India.
Senior
BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, speaking to IANS, reaffirmed the party’s
position by referencing the 1994 unanimous resolution of the Indian Parliament,
which declared that both Jammu and Kashmir, as well as PoK, are an inseparable
part of India.
Naqvi
emphasised that the resolution, passed over two decades ago, remains a
cornerstone of the nation's stance on Kashmir. He highlighted the actions of
the Modi government in reinforcing this stance, particularly during the
delimitation exercise of Jammu and Kashmir, which reserved 24 seats for PoK in
the state’s Legislative Assembly.
Naqvi
further praised the political transformation in Jammu and Kashmir following the
abrogation of Article 370.
Describing
the move as a historic turning point, he said, “Article 370 was the greatest
obstacle to the development of Jammu and Kashmir. With its removal, we are
witnessing political stability, increased participation in the democratic
process, and significant economic growth.”
Another
BJP MLA Vikram Randhwa stated that the concept of ‘Akhand Bharat’ — a unified
India that encompasses territories currently under foreign control — is very
much alive.
"The
portion of Kashmir that remains under Pakistani control has always been ours,
and it always will be," Randhwa asserted.
He
further added that reclaiming PoK would not be a complex issue, with the BJP
confident that the region would rejoin India when the central government takes
the necessary steps.
BJP
MLA Ram Kadam reinforced this notion, expressing his unwavering support for the
return of PoK.
"That
part of Kashmir is ours, and we will never forget it," Kadam said.
Congress
MLA Rizwan Arshad, while welcoming EAM Jaishankar’s statement on PoK, raised concerns
about the Chinese occupation of Indian land in Ladakh.
"I
would be very happy if he said this. The Congress party will be the happiest if
the present government gets back the PoK. But the government must also address
the Chinese encroachment in Ladakh," Arshad remarked.
"There
are villages built by China within our territory in Ladakh, and we need to
ensure that the same vigour is applied to reclaim those areas as well,"
the Congress leader added.
In
his address at Chatham House in London, Jaishankar clarified the government's
position on the Kashmir dispute, noting that the process of resolving the issue
was already underway.
"The
first step was the removal of Article 370, which has enabled Kashmir's growth
and integration with India. The second step was restoring social justice and
economic activity, and the third step was conducting elections with a
remarkable voter turnout," Jaishankar explained.
He
also reaffirmed India's commitment to reclaiming the portion of Kashmir under
Pakistani control.
“The
Kashmir issue will be solved once the 'stolen' part of the region is returned
to India,” he said.
