No power can stop resolution of Kashmir issue, says Rajnath

Pandori (J&K): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh asserted on Saturday that the Kashmir issue will be resolved and no power on the earth can stop it.

Singh said Kashmir is in his heart and the government wants it to become not only paradise of India but tourist paradise of the world.

The defence minister earlier paid tributes to the soldiers killed in the 1999 Kargil War at a memorial in Jammu and Kashmir's Dras sector as the nation commemorated the 20th anniversary of 'Operation Vijay'.

In Kathua, he said, "Kashmir ki samasya ka hal ho key raheyga, duniya ki koi taqat nahi rook shakti hai (Resolution of Kashmir issue is bound to happen and no power on earth can stop it)."

"If not through talks, then we know how," Singh said.

Singh maintained that he has made repeated appeals as a home minister asking "so-called leaders" for talks to resolve the issue.

Singh was the Union Home Minister in the previous government.

"We want speedy development and prosperity of Jammu and Kashmir," he added.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated two strategically important bridges in Kathua and Samba districts of Jammu and Kashmir that will help in smooth mobility of security forces in the border areas.

The bridges, near the International Border, have been built under Project Sampark, braving Pakistani shelling and weather vagaries during the monsoon season, officials said.

The 1,000-metre Ujh bridge in Kathua is the longest constructed by the Border Roads Organisation and it uses the precast segment technology, a defence spokesman said.

Built at a cost of Rs 50 crore, the bridge is on Parole-Korepannu-Rajpura road over Ujh river.

The 617-metre Basantar bridge in Samba has been built at a cost of Rs 41.7 crore on Rajpura Madwal Pangadur Phulpur road over Basantar river.

The bridges will provide smooth connectivity for residents during the monsoon season and are vital for mobility of security forces in the border areas, the spokesman said.

The defence minister said roads and bridges are lifelines of a nation and play a vital role in the development of remote areas. He praised the BRO for working under hostile conditions in difficult areas, away from their families.

Reiterating Central government's commitment to improve connectivity in Jammu and Kashmir, he said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is regularly monitoring the progress of these projects and funds are being made available accordingly.

Jitendra Singh, the minister of state in PMO, too underlined the development programme of the Central government and Modi's steps to boost connectivity in the state.

Army chief Gen Bipin Rawat, BRO Director General Lt Gen Harpal Singh, other senior army, civil and police officers attended the event.

Meanwhile, a villager was injured when Pakistani troops violated ceasefire by resorting to unprovoked mortar and small arms firing along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday, officials said.

The firing and shelling comes close to the day-long visit of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday. An Army spokesperson said that the force was retaliating befittingly to silence the Pakistani guns and there was no immediate report of any casualty.

"At about 0900 hours, Pakistan initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation with firing of small arms and shelling with mortars along the LoC in Mendhar sector," the officer said. pti