It is just not a coincidence that immediately after getting overwhelming majority at the 2019 hustings, several current, former ministers in the NDA government started floating the idea of reclaiming PoK. There might be something in store.

Following statements made from various quarters, Indian Army Chiefs too asserted that if Parliament wants, PoK would be captured. General M M Naravane said recently, “We will act, if we get orders.”

Claiming Balakot a success story, the current dispensation has tasted fruits of ‘Nationalism’ with a historic mandate. It goes without saying that the country too looks at PoK as its unfinished aspirations and of course unfinished agenda for the BJP.

Though the BJP has lost several state elections in 2019 post abrogation of Article 370, Ayodhya verdict and CAA but it is not ready to retreat.

Relentless statements on PoK indicate that by 2024, PoK would turn out to be the narrative in public discourse. Probably the political leadership knows very well that national and aspirational issues have the potential to eclipse political side-effects of downtrending economy and employment.

(By Rakesh Ranjan)