He then stood – under heavy security – beneath the 17th century Red Fort in Old Delhi to deliver his third annual address.
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The remarks also come in the backdrop of recent comments by Modi during an all-party meet on Kashmir that the time had come to expose the atrocities committed “by our neighboring nation” in Baluchistan and the areas of J&K (PoK) under its illegal occupation.
The United States has expressed concern over violence in the Kashmir Valley and urged India and Pakistan to find a “peaceful resolution” to the Kashmir dispute. He said all the political parties in the country have time and again assured the government of their support in curbing cross border terrorism. But on the other hand, look at those who glorify terrorists.
Two Kashmiri militants and an Indian soldier were killed on Monday in a gun battle in downtown Srinagar, the capital of Indian-held Kashmir. “What kind of terrorism-inspired life is it?” What kind of government setup is it that is inspired by terrorism? “The world will need to understand the double standards”, Modi said.
According to reports, the invitation letter was handed to High Commissioner Gautam Bambawale, two days after Sartaj Aziz, the foreign affairs adviser to Pakistani premier Nawaz Sharif, said his country has planned to invite the Indian Foreign Secretary for peace talks on Kashmir. The latter reference was in line with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government’s long standing and often reiterated stance that the only discussion New Delhi wanted with Pakistan was on Azad Kashmir that India refers to as Pakistan Occupied Kashmir and its “return” to India.
Amid the war of words new violence has broken out in Kashmir, following weeks of unrest triggered by last month’s killing of a major separatist fighter.
Besides, he said, none less than the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, in reply to a parliamentary question on March, 2, 2006, categorically condemned the spiralling violence in Balochistan and heavy military action, including use of helicopter gunships and fighter jets by the government of Pakistan to suppress the people of Balochistan.
Kashmir is jointly ruled by the two nuclear powers, but each claims the whole region as its own.
“People in distant land, which I have not even seen, people that I have not met. when those people thank the Indian Prime Minister, greet him, it is an honour for the 125 crore people of the country”. “Government of India and state government are capable of handling Kashmir. I too have many grievances”.
Earlier, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi lambasted Pakistan for human rights violations in Pakistan occupied Kashmir and Balochistan in his Independence Day speech from the ramparts of the historic Red Fort.
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He said Pakistan is sponsoring terror and committing rights abuses in the region known for a long-standing insurgency.
