Give 'moral, political, financial' support to PoK protestors: BJP leader

NEW DELHI: India should provide "moral, political and financial" support to the "freedom movement" in PoK, a BJP leader has said. The comment came hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi categorically said PoK belongs to India+ . The PM's statement also found support+ from across the political divide, with Himachal Pradesh CM Virbhadra Singh echoing the sentiment.

"Not only Kashmir, PoK is also part of India," Singh, a Congress CM, told reporters in Shimla. He said the residents of PoK have been forced to live in fear. "The neighbouring country should adopt corrective measures and in no way should eye Indian territory," he added.

However, a stronger line came from BJP's Jammu and Kashmir spokesperson Brigadier Anil Gupta (retd). He said India should pay Pakistan back in its own coin, by providing "moral, political and financial support to the freedom movement in PoK."

Gupta's statement however stopped well short of saying India should fund and conduct insurgency in PoK, as Pakistan does in Kashmir. He pointed to the widespread protests in PoK that have broken out after recently held elections, that have been dismissed by PoK residents as "rigged".

"The protests are spontaneous and an expression of disgust and anger over the atrocities committed by the federal government and the Pakistani army. In fact, the people of Gilgit-Baltistan+ , also part of Jammu and Kashmir, too have revolted against exploitation and repression by Pakistan," said Gupta.
He also said residents of PoK have also expressed their anger over the "massive" presence of Chinese people+ in the region.

"Since PoK, including Gilgit-Baltistan, is part of Jammu and Kashmir, India is well within its right to provide moral, political and financial support to the people there to help them in their just struggle for freedom from Pakistan which has been illegally occupying these areas since 1948," Gupta said.

(With inputs from PTI)