'Ready for dialogue with Pakistan if...': Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in J-K election rally

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday said India is ready to start dialogue with Pakistan if it stops terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir. Addressing an election rally in this assembly segment of Ramban district in support of BJP candidate Mohd Saleem Bhat, Singh said Article 370 of the Constitution that granted special status to J-K was revoked to end the misery of the people and make the region prosperous.

"Pakistan do one thing that is stop taking support of terrorism. Who would not like to improve relations with neighbouring countries? Because I know the reality that you can change a friend but not your neighbour. We want improved relations with Pakistan but first of all they should stop terrorism," Singh told a well-attended gathering in Banihal. The defence minister said when Pakistan stops sponsoring terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, India will start dialogue with them.

"Among those who fell to terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, 85 percent were Muslims. Terror incidents used to be a routine affair in Kashmir. Were Hindus being killed in the terror acts? I have been a home minister and I know the highest number of Muslims lost their lives in the incidents of terror," Singh said.

Earlier in the day, the defence minister addressed an election rally in nearby Ramban in support of party candidate Rakesh Singh Thakur and said more than 40,000 people lost their lives in terror incidents in Jammu and Kashmir.

The BJP's Bhat is pitted against former Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president and ex-minister Vikar Rasool Wani who is looking for a hat-trick of wins from the Banihal seat. Bhat faces a stiff challenge from the National Conference's Sjjad Shaheen and the PDP's Imtiyaz Shan. Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi addressed a massive rally in his support in Sangaldan area on September 4.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by DNA staff and is published from PTI)