SRINAGAR: Defence Minister, Manohar Parrikar Thursday accused Pakistan of waging proxy war in Jammu and Kashmir to wrest control of the State from India and appealed peace loving people of Jammu and Kashmir to give up the path of violence and contribute in nation building process.
He also said only one lakh ex-servicemen were not getting pension as per One Rank One Pension (OROP) scheme due to technical problems and these would be resolved within next two months.
“During 1947-1948 war, our soldiers did not allow the nefarious designs of neighbouring country to succeed,” said Parrikar accompanied by army chief General Dalbir Singh after visiting the War memorial in central Kashmir’s Budgam district to pay homage to Major Somnath Sharma, the first Param Vir Chakra awardee of India and other army men killed while fighting Pakistani raiders to control Srinagar Airport on November, 3 1947.
He said Pakistan always wants to occupy Jammu and Kashmir. “It wants to wrest control of the state from India. We consider J&K and its people as the integral part of the country," Parrikar added.
The defence minister said after facing defeat in the face-to-face battles with Indian army, Pakistan is now engaged in a proxy war on this paradise on the earth. “It tried to turn it (J&K) into hell. They also targetted others parts of the country. However, our country’s soldiers are fighting this battle professionally,” he said.
The minister also implied that Pakistan was trying to mislead the Kashmiris and Pakistanis.
On the prevailing unrest in the Valley, Parrikar said, “For the last four months, many anti-social elements sponsored by Pakistan and who have nothing to do with the peace-loving people of Kashmir, have dealt a blow to the economy of Kashmir."
He said J&K had tremendous economic potential, especially in information technology and tourism sectors, “However, for that peace is must and it should prevail always”.
The defence minister said some misguided youth are hurting the Kashmiriyat. “They are destroying the future of Kashmiri children by torching the schools,” he said in regards to the recent school arson.
“Education is a must for the children. It will always remain with them, what they are taught at schools. Even though wealth will go, knowledge will always remain,” he said, adding “Though I have spoken to army officers to help the children regarding education but villagers also need to play their role and create pressure so that burning of schools is not allowed".
Parrikar appealed to the peace-loving people of Jammu and Kashmir to give up the path of violence and contribute in nation building process.
“I salute the soldiers and assure them that nation is with them,” he said.
He told the ex-servicemen that all issues confronting them will be resolved in a phased manner. “The government is very sensitive towards the problems being faced by ex-servicemen,” the defence minister added.
Parrikar said their government implemented the OROP, which was not given to the ex-servicemen for past 43 years.
“We accepted the OROP ad implemented it. We will be incurring Rs 7,500 crore on OROP every year. We have released Rs 11,000 crore arrears to ex-servicemen and increased 23-24 per cent pension of the ex-servicemen,” he said.
The defence minister said one lakh ex-servicemen are yet to get the full benefit of the OROP. “It is due to some technicalities or documentation problems. It would be resolved in next few months. Besides, other issues confronted by ex-servicemen would also be resolved,” the minister said.