Congress divided India on lines of religion, caste for votes, says VK Singh

First, it (Congress) divided the country on the basis of religion by creating Pakistan and in the post-British era it fomented the politics of caste for votebank, he told reporters on the sidelines of

Dehradun, October 7: The Congress had always worked to divide the nation on religious and caste lines, said Union Minister VK Singh in a function attended by retired officers of the Army, the Navy and the Air Force at the Welham Boys' School in Dehradun.

First, it (Congress) divided the country on the basis of religion by creating Pakistan and in the post-British era it fomented the politics of caste for votebank, he told reporters on the sidelines of the function.

"The Congress has always worked to divide the nation. It's a fact," the minister of state for external affairs said.

Singh admitted that people were migrating from the hills of Uttarakhand in search of jobs but hoped that with a new BJP government in office, the situation will improve.

"Locals are migrating from the hills as there are not enough jobs. But with a new government in office I am confident enough job opportunities will be generated to stop them from migrating in search of a livelihood," he said.

To a question on alleged Chinese incursions in Barahoti in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district, the former Army chief said China comes only to its own side of the disputed area and not beyond that.

Singh further said that Barahoti has been a disputed area between the two countries for the last 50 years. "It has been agreed to keep it demilitarised and that is what is being done," he added.

PTI