Excelsior Correspondent
NEW DELHI, June 16: Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh said here today that India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru never allowed Sardar Patel, the then Home Minister and his cabinet colleague, a free hand to handle the State of Jammu and Kashmir in the same manner as Patel was handling the other States of the Union and this, precisely, was the beginning of a series of infamous “Nehruvian” blunders over Kashmir. He said, the history of Indian sub-continent would have been different if Sardar Patel, as Home Minister, had a free hand to handle Jammu and Kashmir in the same manner as he was handling the other erstwhile princely States.
Addressing the inaugural session of 2-day Conference organised by “Global Counter Terrorism Council” (GCTC), on the theme of Indus Water Treaty and related issues, Dr Jitendra Singh alleged that the treaty signed by the then Prime Minister, Nehru during his visit to Karachi in 1960, was also not followed up in its true spirit.
Lashing out those who talk of a settlement of the so-called Kashmir issue, Dr Jitendra Singh strongly asserted that there is no such issue as Kashmir issue. He said, Jammu and Kashmir is as much as a State of Indian Union as any other State like Punjab, Bihar or Rajasthan. If there is no issue with regard to the erstwhile princely states like Hyderabad, Mysore or Junagarh, why this pervert tendency to rake up an issue of Jammu and Kashmir, he asked.
Dr Jitendra Singh reiterated that if at all there is any issue pertaining to India and Pakistan in the context of Jammu and Kashmir, it is only as to how to retrieve back the part of Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) as well as Gilgit, Balochistan which remain under illegal occupation of Pakistan even after 70 years of Independence. This contention, he said, has been constitutionally ratified through unanimously passed resolution by Indian Parliament in 1994 when there was a Congress led Government at the Centre.
While Pakistan continues to fish in the troubled waters of Jhelum, Dr Jitendra Singh said, the separatists as well as the so-called mainstream Kashmir – centric politicians raised the bogey of separatism or so-called freedom only to push forward their vested agenda. But, he said, the people of Kashmir have now realised that these so-called Kashmir separatists are not even faithful to the freedom which they claimed to pursue.
The youth of Kashmir, Dr Jitendra Singh said, is globally connected and well informed. He is keen to be a part of the development journey led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and does not wish to be deprived of the opportunities available to youth in other parts of India.
In the final reckoning, Dr Jitendra Singh expressed confidence that the youth of Kashmir will break out free from the shackles of fear and march step by step with the youth from other parts of the country to be a part of India’s growth story as a frontline nation of the world.
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