'Should We Have Garlanded Afzal Guru Publicly?': Rajnath's Retort To Omar's Shocker

New Delhi: Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday asked should the country had garlanded terrorist Afzal Guru, who was hanged in 2001 Parliament attack case, after a row erupted following Omar Abdullah's statement that his conviction served no purpose.

Rajnath Singh , who addressed a rally in poll-bound Jammu and Kashmir's Ramban, said, “It is unfortunate that Omar Abdullah made such remarks. If Afzal Guru shouldn't have been hanged, then what should we have done? Should we have publicly garlanded him?”

Earlier, Omar Abdullah said that terrorist Afzal Guru’s conviction in 2001 Parliament attack did not serve any purpose.

“The unfortunate thing was that the Jammu and Kashmir government had nothing to do with Afzal Guru's execution. Otherwise, you would have had to do it with the permission of the state government, which I can tell you in no uncertain terms would not have been forthcoming. We wouldn't have done it. I don't believe that any purpose was served by executing him," the National Conference leader had said.

PoK should join India, says Rajnath Singh  

During the poll rally in Ramban, Rajnath Singh said that the Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) residents should join India as unlike Pakistan, we consider them our own.

Rajnath, in his pitch to the people of Jammu and Kashmir, said, “Support the BJP to form the next government in Jammu and Kashmir so that we can facilitate massive development in the region. There will be so much development that the people in PoK on seeing this should say that we do not want to live with Pakistan and instead will go to India... I want to tell PoK residents that Pakistan considers you foreigners, but the people in India do not consider you so. We consider you our own and so come and join us.”

Won't accept terror activities: Rajnath Singh

Rajnath Singh further said, “We will not accept terrorist activities under any circumstances. Some people talk about negotiating with Pakistan . I say Pakistan should do one thing, stop resorting to terrorism. Who would not want better relations with our neighbouring countries?  We want to make better relations, but first, they should stop terrorism. After that, we will talk...”

‘J-K youth carrying laptops, computers instead of pistols, revolvers’ 

Rajnath Singh in Ramban said that the situation in Jammu and Kashmir has changed. The youth is now carrying laptops and computers instead of pistols and revolvers.

“I can say with confidence, people talk how we will make J&K a developed state, you can see India, when PM Modi ascended to power, India was at 11th position in top economies of the world, now India has risen to 5th position. Many economic experts are claiming that India can rise to 3rd position in the size of economies by 2027, only after America and China. On the basis of it, I want to say to people of J&K to choose us, we will make a big change in 10 years... There used to be an atmosphere of tension here, today nobody can dare to fire bullets on people. A strong CM is needed here.”

Congress -National Conference alliance says it will restore Article 370, but as long as BJP is there, absolutely nobody can do this, the Defence Minister added.