"PoK belongs to India and we will take it": Amit Shah Reiterates India's Claim Over PoK Amidst Unrest

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday spoke on India's claim over Pakistan-occupied Kashmir amidst ongoing protests in the region. Speaking at an election rally in West Bengal's Serampore, Shah said, "PoK belongs to India, and we will take it." This statement comes as PoK witnesses unrest, with demonstrators voicing grievances over inflated electricity bills, taxes, and soaring prices of essential commodities like wheat flour.

"When INDI alliance was ruling, strikes used to happen in our part of Kashmir, see the effect of PM Modi, now, strikes happen in PoK. Earlier slogans of Azadi, stone pelting kind of things used to happen on our part, now it all happens in PoK... If 'Rahul Baba' and 'Mamata didi' are scared, let it be, PoK belongs to India and we will take it," said the Union Home Minister. Shah highlighted the contrast between past and present unrest, noting that while strikes and protests were once commonplace in India's part of Kashmir, they now occur in PoK. He attributed this shift to the improved situation in Jammu and Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.

The Union Minister's remarks echoed his recent statements at various election rallies across the country, where he spoke about India's commitment to reclaiming PoK. Shah challenged Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to clarify his stance on the issue, accusing the opposition party of nurturing Article 370 for nearly seven decades. "The PoK was, is, and will remain an integral part of India. This is the stated position of our government. And no power in the world can change this reality," Shah reiterated during a poll rally in Kaushambhi.

The ongoing protests in PoK escalated when Pakistan's paramilitary rangers opened fire on demonstrators demanding lower taxes on electricity, subsidy cuts, and an end to privileges enjoyed by the country's top officials.

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