J&K kids nationalists; some of them motivated wrongly: DM

‘None can dare touch any Indian Muslim’

JAMMU: The children of Jammu and Kashmir are nationalists, but they are sometimes being motivated in the wrong direction, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Wednesday.
The comments come days after Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat said girls and boys, as young as 10 and 12, were being radicalised in Kashmir, adding that it was a matter of concern.
"The kids of Jammu Kashmir are nationalists. They shouldn't be seen in any other way," Singh, who was visiting the NCC Republic Day Camp in Delhi, said when asked about his opinion on kids in the state who are being motivated to join the National Cadet Corps.
"Youngsters are youngsters only. Sometimes, the way they should be motivated, people do not motivate them. In fact, they are motivated in the wrong direction.
"That is why the kids should not be blamed for this. The ones who are wrongly motivating them should be blamed. The ones who are motivating them in wrong direction are the culprits," the defence minister added.
He also said that Indian values consider all religions equal and that is why the country is secular and never became a theocratic state like Pakistan.
Singh said: "We (India) said we would not discriminate among religions. Why did we do that? Our neighbouring country has declared that their state has a religion. They have declared themselves a theocratic state. We didn't declare so."
"They (saints and seers) gave the slogan of 'Vasudev Kutumbakam', the whole world is one family. This message has gone to the whole world from here only," he added.
Later in the day, Singh said that no one can dare touch any Indian Muslim, as he dismissed apprehensions that the community will be targeted if NPR and NRC are brought in, and cautioned against forces which are attempting to "create a divide" between Hindus and Muslims over the CAA.
Addressing a rally in support of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in Meerut, the BJP leader said religious minorities in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh were living a "life of misery" and India has fulfilled its "moral duty" by enacting the CAA.
He also questioned those opposing the National Population Register (NPR) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC), stressing that they were mooted much before the BJP government was formed, and rejected claims that Muslims will be forced to leave the country.
"There has been no discussion on NRC. But, suppose a country wants to create a national register of citizens, why should there be an objection to it. Shouldn't there be a document for people to seek benefits of government schemes," he asked the crowd.
"... But they say you are making NPR register and then you will bring NRC and banish all Muslims. I want to tell Muslims present here that nobody can dare touch any Muslim who is an Indian citizen. I want to assure you. If anyone has any complaint they can come to us... we will stand with that Muslim citizen," the minister said.
Singh said India was partitioned on the basis of religion and even Mahatma Gandhi wanted that Indian government should be sensitive towards minorities of neighbouring countries if they face religious persecution there. He had said such people should be given citizenship.