Going to Pakistan or to hell is the same thing: Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar

The strained ties between India and Pakistan only seem to be getting worse.Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Tuesday equated Pakistan with hell. "Going to Pakistan or to hell is the same thing," CNN-News18 quoted him as saying. "Unable to inflict major damage, Pakistan is trying to inflict small wounds," he further said.[caption id="attachment_2925762" align="alignleft" width="380"]

A file photo of Manohar Parrikar. PTI[/caption]Parrikar's remark comes a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his speech on Independence Day at Red Fort in New Delhi, brought up Pakistani atrocities on people of Balochistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir."From the ramparts of the Red Fort, I want to express my gratitude to some people – the people of Balochistan, Gilgit and Pak-occupied Kashmir (PoK) – for the way they wholeheartedly thanked me, the way they expressed gratitude to me, the way they conveyed their goodwill to me recently," Modi had said.That was for the first time the disturbed areas in the control of Pakistan had been mentioned by any Indian Prime Minister during his Independence Day speech.Though Modi did not make any reference to Kashmir Valley which is witnessing violence after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani, he accused Pakistan of glorifying terrorists and celebrating killings in India. This was an obvious reference to Wani who has been hailed as a martyr by Pakistan.The remarks also come in the backdrop of recent comments by Modi during an all-party meet on Kashmir that the time had come to expose the atrocities committed "by our neighbouring nation" in Balochistan and the areas of Jammu and Kashmir under its illegal occupation.The Prime Minister had asked the international community to judge the behaviour of India and Pakistan in the context of terror attacks in each other's country."When children were killed in terror attack on a school in Peshawar (about two years back), there were tears in our Parliament. Indian children were traumatised. This is the example of our humanity. But look at the other side where terrorism is glorified," Modi had said.Home Minister Rajnath Singh had also blamed Pakistan for the unrest in Kashmir. On 10 August, he had in the Rajya Sabha, "What is happening in Kashmir is sponsored by Pakistan."He had also responded to Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif's statement on Jammu and Kashmir and had said that "no power" could take away Kashmir from India."Two weeks ago, Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif said that he is waiting for the day when Kashmir will become Pakistan's. He has also written a letter to the UN Secretary General saying there should be a plebiscite in Kashmir. On the basis of the statements made in the House, I can say that no power in the world can take Jammu and Kashmir from us. If there is dialogue with Pakistan, it won't be on Kashmir, it will be on Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir," the Home Minister had said.With inputs from PTI