Govt's policy on Kashmir very clear: Jitendra Singh

Kashmir has always been an integral part of India and will continue to do so, said the Union Minister of State in the PMO

Union minister Jitendra Singh on Friday said that the only outstanding issue with Pakistan is to retrieve areas in Jammu and Kashmir which have been illegally occupied by the neighbouring country.

"Our government's policy on Kashmir is very clear. Kashmir has always been an integral part of India and will continue to do so," Singh said.

"There is a constitutional evidence to that. In 1994, a unanimous resolution was passed in Parliament that if, at all, there is an issue between India and Pakistan relating to Kashmir, it is how to retrieve the part of Jammu and Kashmir which continues to be under the illegal occupation of Pakistan even after six decades," the Union Minister of State in the PMO said here.

Replying to a question on Hurriyat's statement that India was "blackmailing" Pakistan over the Pathankot incident, he said the comment was absolutely "baseless and needs no response".

"I think the nation today has become very awakened. They can make out very well what is right and what is wrong and you can no longer play politics with the people," Singh said.

On a question about Pakistan using Indian soil to dictate its terror agenda to the Hurriyat, he said, "I am sure External Affairs Ministry and Union Home Ministry will take cognisance of that and they know what is in the best interest of the nation."