(Photo Source- IANS)
New Delhi, November 23 (IANS) Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, on Sunday, stirred a fresh debate by suggesting that the Sindh region, which became part of Pakistan during the 1947 Partition, could one day return to India.
Speaking at an event in New Delhi, the Defence Minister underscored what he described as India's deep civilisational links with Sindh, asserting that geographical boundaries are not permanent.
He said that although Sindh is not within India’s political borders today, the region remains integral to India’s civilisational and cultural memory.
"Sindh may not be with us geographically, but civilisationally it has always been a part of India," he remarked.
He added that borders have changed throughout history, and "who knows, one day Sindh may come back to India."
Referring to veteran BJP leader and former Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani, who hails from Sindh, the Defence Minister said Sindhi Hindus have never emotionally accepted the Partition-induced separation from their homeland.
Quoting BJP leader Advani, Rajnath Singh noted that many from that generation still feel a deep sense of displacement and loss.
He also highlighted the shared reverence for the Indus River across communities.
"For Hindus, the Indus is sacred. And as Advani ji wrote, many Muslims in Sindh believed that the river's water was as holy as the 'Aab-e-Zamzam' of Mecca," he said, underlining the cultural unity that existed before 1947.
Rajnath Singh reiterated similar sentiments he had expressed in Morocco on September 22, where he predicted that Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) would eventually become part of India without the need for military confrontation.
He said the residents of PoK have already begun voicing demands for liberation from Pakistan’s control.
Earlier, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla highlighted the Sindhi community’s steadfast commitment to service and its deep cultural heritage, noting that these qualities have made it a key contributor to India's social, economic and cultural advancement.
Speaking during the "Sashakt Samaj – Samridh Bharat" programme, organised by the Vishwa Sindhi Hindu Foundation of Associations at the Vigyan Bhawan, Lok Sabha Speaker Birla lauded the community’s collective strength and resilience, observing that it embodies the very ideals that form the foundation of a strong India.
