Ready to embrace Pak if it stops promoting terrorism on Indian soil: Rajnath

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday said India is ready to embrace Pakistan and start a process of dialogue with it provided the neighbouring country gives a guarantee that it will stop promoting terrorism on Indian soil.

Singh accused the Congress, National Conference (NC) and People's Democratic Party (PDP) of working as "proxies of Pakistan" and said the BJP will not allow anyone to run the "impure agenda" of Islamabad in Jammu and Kashmir.

Addressing poll rallies at Kotranka and Sunderbani in support of BJP candidates Choudhary Zulfikar Ali (fielded from the Budhal Assembly segment) and Thakur Randhir Singh (nominated from the Kalakote-Sunderbani seat) in this border district, Singh said Hindu-Muslim unity is imperative for the country's progress.

"They (NC and PDP) are advocating dialogue with Pakistan, a country that is aiding and abetting terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir. Terrorism and dialogue cannot go on together but if Pakistan gives a guarantee that it will stop promoting terrorism on Indian soil, we are ready to embrace it and start talks," he said.

The defence minister said Pakistan-sponsored terrorism has consumed thousands of lives in Jammu and Kashmir, with 80 per cent of its victims being Muslims.

Referring to the reported remarks of Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif that his country and the NC-Congress alliance are on the same page on restoration of Article 370 of the Constitution, he said a poverty-ridden Pakistan is interfering in India's internal affairs.

"The graceless and shameless statement of the Pakistani leader amounts to interference in our internal affairs. Pakistan has become an international brand of poverty and destitution. It is unable to handle its own affairs but is worried about India's internal matters," Singh said.

He said Pakistan has the habit of moving around with a begging bowl and is currently seeking an assistance of USD 7 billion, which is less than the package announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for Jammu and Kashmir, from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

"The one doing business in snakes (terrorism) ends up harming himself," he said.

"Be assured that terrorism will be wiped out from Jammu and Kashmir," the defence minister said, adding that the Union Territory has suffered a lot due to terror activities for three decades and the BJP is ready to make a "new Jammu and Kashmir", without allowing anyone to push it backwards.

Lashing out at the Congress, NC and PDP, Singh said any Indian is welcome to do politics based on the issues facing the country, instead of working as a "proxy of Pakistan".