After the revocation of Jammu and Kashmir's special status, a Junoon (craze) for the liberation of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir has spread among people, said Union minister Anurag Thakur on Monday. Union Minister of State for Finance, Thakur, made the statement at the BJP headquarters amid repeated "war" talks by Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan over J&K. 

"When two nuclear-armed countries fight, if they fight a conventional war, there is every possibility that it is going to end up in a nuclear war. The unthinkable," Khan had told Al Jazeera channel on Sunday.

Interacting with reporters at the BJP headquarters here, Thakur said, "The BJP kept its promise of abrogating Article 370 of the Constitution which triggered jubilation across the country. I have been meeting people and there is a 'Junoon' (craze) among them for the liberation of PoK." 

"They are saying there is a resolution passed unanimously by both houses of the Parliament (in 1994), asserting that PoK also is an integral part of India," he added.

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Article 370 - A Historic decision

Thakur said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's historic decision to 'liberate' the people of Jammu and Kashmir after over 70 years has caused an uproar in Pakistan.

"There is a fear in Pakistan and (Pak premier) Imran Khan's voice is trembling every time he makes a statement. Nobody wants that his neighbouring country becomes a failed state and so do we," the Union minister said. 

He, however, said, "Whenever India trusted Pakistan, it was betrayed."Thakur also lamented the 'huge bloodshed' in J&K over the last three decade that claimed over 40,000 lives, and attributed the loss to a 'mistake of Nehru'.

"This all happened because of the single mistake of (former Prime Minister Pandit Jawahar Lal) Nehru. Shouldn't the Congress tender an apology to the country for this bloodshed?" the union minister asked.

Thakur made the remarks while talking to reporters at the BJP headquarters. On the way to Leh in Ladakh to attend a programme there, he had dropped at the BJP headquarters here on an invitation by the state party leadership to interact with the Senior party leaders and workers. 

Lauding PM Modi's leadership, Thakur said the decision taken by the Centre was not an easy one and only Prime Minister Modi and the BJP have the courage to take such steps for the benefit of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. 

"When all this happened (abrogation of special status and reorganisation of the state), some people raised apprehensions about the situation. The one who is thinking that the situation might deteriorate should keep it out of his mind. This bold decision was taken and the government will not allow anyone to disturb the situation in Jammu and Kashmir," Thakur said. 

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Situation to get better

Seeking to assure that the situation in Jammu and Kashmir will improve before soon, he said great opportunities await the people of the region. 

"I am saying it with all seriousness that people from various parts of the country and abroad are coming forward, expressing their desire to do something for the development of Jammu and Kashmir and generate employment for the local youths," he said.

"What the state has lost over the last seven decades will be restored to it within the next few years," said the minister.

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