BJP once vowed to die for PoK, but chose ceasefire when it mattered most: Saurabh Bharadwaj

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has exposed the reality behind the BJP’s empty promises of reclaiming Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). AAP’s Delhi State President Saurabh Bharadwaj highlighted how, when the moment came to act, the Narendra Modi government backed down. Despite years of fiery rhetoric from top BJP leaders—including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah—about sacrificing everything for PoK, the government opted for a ceasefire instead.

The AAP Delhi State President asserted that with the Indian Army in a position to take PoK, the Modi government squandered a historic opportunity, deceiving the nation in the process. After 78 years of political posturing, the truth is clear: the BJP never intended to act. Today, disillusionment runs deep among its own workers, to the point that the government is now instructing them to hold Tiranga Yatras just to save face.

During a press conference, AAP Delhi State President Saurabh Bharadwaj said, “The very worker who spent decades campaigning for the BJP from street to street, is now sitting at home, disheartened and dejected. BJP workers themselves are not taking out Tiranga Yatras; instead, the BJP government is having to order such Yatras.”

He continued, “For the past 78 years, this RSS worker has been going to morning shakhas learning and teaching that if a BJP government comes to power, PoK (Pakistan-occupied Kashmir) will be taken back. That if Narendra Modi becomes Prime Minister, PoK will be reclaimed. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah themselves have repeatedly said that PoK could not be reclaimed because of the Congress party’s weakness.”

Highlighting past BJP statements, Saurabh Bharadwaj said, “Amit Shah went as far as to say that after independence, during the India-Pakistan war, a ceasefire was declared. Had the ceasefire taken place three days later, PoK would have been part of India. Amit Shah is on record saying that the Indian government made a mistake by going for a ceasefire.”

He added, “Before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Amit Shah said Congress leaders are scared of Pakistan’s nuclear weapons and have stopped thinking about PoK. Amit Shah then declared that we will definitely reclaim PoK, that we are not afraid of nuclear bombs. If Amit Shah is not afraid of nuclear weapons and also knows that ceasefire should be announced soon after winning PoK, why did the BJP, after shouting in Parliament and at rallies that they would lay down their lives for PoK, backtrack? There was no question of giving up their lives—they weren’t even in danger.”

Referring to the military’s recent success, the AAP Delhi State President said, “The Indian Army and Air Force displayed unmatched valour, shaking Pakistan to its core. Not a single Pakistani drone managed to strike India; not one missile reached Indian soil. India successfully neutralised every Pakistani missile and drone. Pakistan was panicking, on the back foot, and the Indian Army was winning.”

“So why did the Prime Minister call for a ceasefire? Is BJP in some sort of relationship with Pakistan that led to this decision? The Prime Minister is saying Pakistan called him, and therefore a ceasefire was declared. This means that for 78 years, the BJP has been fooling the people of India with false promises about reclaiming PoK. When the time actually came and the Indian Army was doing everything it needed to do, the Prime Minister backed out and went for a ceasefire,” he added.

Raising pointed questions, Saurabh Bharadwaj said, “Has the BJP abandoned its political will to reclaim PoK? Was the promise to bring PoK back a lie? Shouldn’t the BJP tell the country why a ceasefire was declared when the Indian Army was on the verge of reclaiming PoK? Why did the Prime Minister step back when India was clearly winning? These are the questions the central government and the Prime Minister must answer.”

He continued, “The Prime Minister himself revealed that he took the decision to declare a ceasefire. History gave Prime Minister Narendra Modi the biggest-ever opportunity to reclaim PoK, but he has let that opportunity slip away forever. Pakistan had erred, India was on the winning side, we were ahead in the war, and PoK could have been brought back. But this historic moment was thrown away.”

Expressing his anguish, Saurabh Bharadwaj said, “The BJP has betrayed the entire country by making false promises about reclaiming PoK. During the Lok Sabha election, Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath had promised the nation that if Narendra Modi is made Prime Minister for the third time, PoK would become a part of India within six months. Now more than six months have passed, and despite getting the opportunity, the BJP declared a ceasefire and recalled the Indian Army before PoK could be reclaimed.”