Kathua/Jammu

Union Minister Jitendra Singh has blamed former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru for the unilateral ceasefire that led to the creation of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), saying the issue would not have arisen had then home minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel handled it.

"Had the then prime minister, Nehru, given his home minister, Sardar Patel, a free hand to deal with Jammu and Kashmir like other princely states, the issue of PoJK would never have arisen and the history of J&K, and India would have been different," Singh said.

He made the remarks on Thursday during an address he gave after flagging off the inaugural Unity March (padyatra) to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

Singh hailed Patel for integrating over 560 princely states into the Union and described him, along with Bharatiya Jana Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mookerjee, as among the most underrated leaders of Independent India.

"Timely intervention by Patel enabled Indian forces to reach Srinagar and repel the tribal raid. But when the forces were about to retrieve the part of J&K captured by Pakistan, Nehru declared a unilateral ceasefire, leading to the creation of PoJK," he said.

He added that Patel and Mookerjee represented the spirit of "nation first" and were closely associated with post-Independence events in Jammu and Kashmir.

Singh said the Unity March is aimed at inspiring youth with the ideals of 'Ek Bharat, Akhand Bharat and Aatmanirbhar Bharat'.

The campaign, he said, would promote awareness about drug eradication, cleanliness, and the use of indigenous products in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of a self-reliant and united India.

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Referring to the Statue of Unity in Kevadia, Singh said Modi, inspired by Sardar Patel, urged citizens to contribute iron for its construction, making it a true symbol of national unity and a tribute to the Iron Man of India.