Excelsior Correspondent
NEW DELHI, Sept 23: There can be no compromise on the territorial integrity of the State of Jammu & Kashmir and if, at all, there is any outstanding issue with Pakistan in the context of Jammu & Kashmir, it is only that of how to retrieve back the Pakistan occupied Jammu & Kashmir (PoJK) or the part of the State which continues to remain under illegal occupation of Pakistan even after 68 years of independence.
This was stated here today by 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 while speaking at a function organised by Jammu & Kashmir People’s Forum to commemorate the birth anniversary of Late Maharaja Hari Singh. He said that Jammu & Kashmir is an integral part of India and this is a national consensus which acquired constitutional validity in 1994 when the Parliament of India passed an all-party unanimous resolution to this effect.
Unfortunately, in certain sections, Dr Jitendra Singh said, there is always a tendency to rake up settled issues or to reopen closed chapters. As far as Jammu & Kashmir is concerned, it continues to be and will always remain an essential part of the Indian Union and there is just no room for any further debate or discussion on the subject, he added.
Paying rich tributes to Maharaja Hari Singh, Dr Jitendra Singh described him as a ruler who, despite being a dynastic monarch, conducted himself in an extraordinary democratic manner and laid the foundation for all-round development of the State, whether it was education or health sector, regardless of any religious or regional considerations. He recalled the Maharaja’s first address after inheriting the throne in 1925 when he had said “From today onwards, my religion is justice”. Equitable growth of all the three regions of the State was best exemplified during Hari Singh’s reign and this is something that deserves to be emulated even today, he added.
Ajatshatru Singh, MLC and grandson of Maharaja Hari Singh presided over the function. Kumar Ranvijay Singh,great grandson of Maharaja Hari Singh,Mahashay Dharampal Gulati,Dr Sudesh Ratan, Mahendra Mehta and Sanjit Khajuria from People’s Forum also spoke on the occasion.
Follow our WhatsApp channel