The Indian Express (Delhi Edition)
POK is part of India, will take it back, says Shah
Referringtotheongoingprotests in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (Pok),unionhomeministeramit Shahonwednesdaysaidthatpok is part of India and it will be taken back from Pakistan.
At Serampore in Hooghly district, Shah said: “After abrogation of Article 370 by the Central government in 2019, peace has returned to Kashmir. But now we are seeingprotestsinpakistan-occupied Kashmir. Earlier, slogans of azadi (freedom) were heard here. Now, same slogans are heard in POK. Earlier, stones were pelted here. Now, stones pelted in POK.”
Alleging that Congress leaders were not in support of taking over the POK, he said, “Congress leaders like Mani Shankar Aiyar say that it should not be done as they have an atom bomb. But let me say this, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir is a part of India and we will take it back.” “Rahul Gandhi might oppose it. Mamata Banerjee might oppose it. But it is a reality now that POK will be a part of India,” Shah said.
Pitching the ongoing Lok Sabha elections as a contest between “dynastic” Opposition parties and PM Narendra Modi “with a humble background”, Shah said: “(TMC chief) Mamata Banerjee wants her nephew to succeed her as the West Bengal CM. Sharad Pawar wants his daughter to be Maharashtra CM. Even Stalin wants to see his son as CM of Tamil Nadu. Above all, Sonia Gandhi wants Rahul (Gandhi) Baba to become PM. And on the other side, there is an honest and dedicated leader born in the family of a tea-seller."
Shah slammed Mamata Banerjee for opposing the CAA and accused her of “taking out rallies in support of infiltrators to appease her vote bank”.
“Mamata Banerjee is spreading lies and canards about CAA. Why is she against refugees obtaining citizenship? She is supporting infiltration in Bengal but opposes Hindu refugees getting citizenship. She is talking of supporting infiltrators and mullahs,” Shah alleged.
Hitting out at TMC candidate and sitting MP from Serampore Kalyan Banerjee for allegedly mimicking Vice-president Jagdeepdhankhar,shahsaidmamata Banerjee and TMC leaders are known for flouting the Constitution. “Mamata Banerjee and TMC continue to flout the Constitution. Mamata’s ‘representative’ and the TMC leader Kalyan Banerjee’s ridiculous act of mocking the vice president has been a shameful case of insulting a high constitutional position in the country,” he said.