New Delhi, July 25: Speaking about the people of Pakistan Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoK), RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale said that the people of the region are looking toward India for freedom from Pakistan. Hosabale, the second in command at the RSS after its chief Mohan Bhagwat, said Pakistan repeatedly tried to destabilise India but its attempts were thwarted by the security forces and patriotic people.

 

Addressing an event, Hosabale said large parts of JK and Ladakh continue to be under Pakistan’s illegal occupation after it attacked Jammu and Kashmir in 1947. "The people of PoJK were the first victims. They should get complete justice. They pity themselves today. They are looking towards India as to when they will get freedom," he said.

 

He said lakhs of people, who were forced out of the area, are living in different parts of the country. "There is hardly a family which did not lose a member (during the attack). Despite facing such misfortune, they have contributed to building this nation. While living in Jammu and Kashmir, they have become partners in nation building," the RSS leader said.

 

Pakistan attacked J&K in 1947 and committed many atrocities, even genocide, but the Indian Army secured the erstwhile princely state from the clutches of Pakistan, he said. "Pakistan killed 20,000-25,000 people in Mirpur city alone... similar atrocities were perpetrated in other parts," he said.

 

 

Further, he lauded the security forces and local people for foiling Pakistan’s terror attempts. "Since 1947, Pakistan has made every attempt to propagate terrorism, separatism & war in J&K. Our army, police forces fought against it. I thank people of land who fought alongside them."

 

"While remembering the glory and the courage of those who sacrificed their lives for the country, during the ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mohatsav’ we are also commemorating the Kargil Vijay Divas. Today is a golden day for me as I am with the families of those who laid down their lives for the country. We got freedom after the struggle of many generations", he said.

 

 

He urged the new generations to remember the sacrifices of the patriots and take a pledge to make India great. “Pakistan has cast its evil eye on J&K since Independence. Pakistan has been spreading terrorism and separatism since 1947 in a bid to destabilise the country,” he said and praised the security forces and the people of J&K for sparing no efforts to safeguard the country.

 

He said many provisions of the Indian Constitution were earlier not applicable to J&K, prompting Jana Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mookerjee to launch the first mass movement against it.

 

This come at a time when Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in Jammu attending the Kargil Vijay Diwas said that PoK and Gilgit-Baltistan areas are illegally occupied by Pakistan and a resolution to free it has been unanimously passed in the Parliament of India. He also said that Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, Kashmir was a part of India, is and will remain a part of India. "How can it be that Baba Amarnath in the form of Shiva is with us and Mother Sharda Shakti is on the other side of LoC," he added.