'Hope no one gets such neighbours': Rajnath on Pak's reaction on Art 370
New Delhi: Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday hit out harshly at Pakistan, just a day after Islamabad, in protest against the Indian government’s move to do away with Article 370 in Kashmir, announced that it has degraded its ties – suspended trade and bilateral relations with India, even sending back the Indian envoy to Pakistan was asked to go back.
"We have our utmost apprehensions about our neighbour. The issue is that you can change friends but it is not in your hands to choose your neighbour. And the kind of neighbour who is next to us. I pray to god that no one gets such a neighbour," Singh said in Hindi while addressing army veterans in Delhi, reported NDTV.
India on Thursday termed Pakistan’s actions as an attempt to present an alarming picture to the world about the bilateral ties between the two neighbours and asked it to review and reconsider the decisions it took on Wednesday.
On Wednesday, Pakistan had expelled the Indian envoy in Islamabad and had announced a five-point plan that included downgrading its ties with India and suspending bilateral trade.
Pakistan had also stated it will appeal to the United Nations Security Council against the Indian government's decision to end Jammu and Kashmir's special status and split it into two union territories according to the J&K Reorganisation Bill, 2019.
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan had warned earlier that the Kashmir move would have "serious repercussions".
The Parliament on Tuesday passed a resolution ending the special status for Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 of the Constitution. It also cleared a bill to split the state into two union territories: Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
State of Jammu and Kashmir, however, has been paralysed by an unprecedented lockdown to prevent any backlash over the government's big move on Article 370. As part of a complete communications blackout, phone services and internet connections remain suspended. Top officials are using satellite phones to communicate.
