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Congress backs Swaraj, says India must now begin talks on Aksai Chin

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ANI New Delhi

The Congress on Sunday welcomed External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj's criticism of Pakistan for interfering with India's internal matters and trying to 'destabilise the situation in the Kashmir Valley and expressed confidence that New Delhi would very soon take back the part of Kashmir illegally occupied by Islamabad.

Congress spokesperson Sandeep Dikshit said that no power in the world can siphon Kashmir from India as it is an integral part of the country.

"We welcome this statement of Sushma ji because Jammu and Kashmir is and will be a part of India. Nobody can siphon Kashmir from us and the illegally occupied parts of Kashmir by Pakistan will not be under Pakistan's control I am very confident of that. And Pakistan should be constantly made aware of this," said Dikshit.

 

Dikshit further said that India must at this point of time also talk with China with regard to Aksai Chin.

"There is a significant part of Pakistan occupied Kashmir known as Aksai Chin that has been given over to China and why has the Prime Minister forgotten to name that part I really wonder. We must also tell china that illegally occupied part of Jammu and Kashmir, which is in their hand, is also an integral part of India and we shall always endeavour to take it back and one day we shall," said Dikshit.

Hitting back at Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Swaraj yesterday said the entire Jammu and Kashmir belongs to India.

"You will never be able to make this heaven on earth a haven for terrorists," she said, while lambasting the Pakistani leaders for giving very irresponsible statements about Jammu and Kashmir.

"Sadly, it's not Pakistan's good wishes or moral or diplomatic support, but its weapons and terrorism that it has exported to Jammu and Kashmir," she added.

The Pakistan Prime Minister had earlier called Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani a martyr and accused India of human rights violations in the valley.

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First Published: Jul 24 2016 | 12:17 PM IST

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