Bilawal’s pledge to 'take back' Kashmir sparks fierce reaction in India

Statement sparks outrage on social media, while Indian External Affairs Ministry says claims were 'far from reality'

KARACHI: While India’s External Affairs Ministry shrugged off Pakistan Peoples Party’s Bilawal Bhutto’s pledge to ‘take back’ Kashmir as “far from reality”, social media was less forgiving.

In a statement made on Friday, the PPP patron-in-chief vowed not to leave behind “even an inch” of Kashmir.

“I will take back Kashmir, all of it, and I will not leave behind a single inch of it because, like the other provinces, it belongs to Pakistan,” proclaimed Bhutto as he addressed party workers in Multan.

The story was picked up on Saturday by most of top newspaper websites in India, sparking fierce reaction from members of the public and well known personalities alike in the neighbouring country.

"We are in the process of looking forward and looking forward does not mean that our borders will be changed. We made it very clear that as far as we are concerned, the integrity and unity of India is non negotiable," Spokesperson in the External Affairs Ministry Syed Akbaruddin said, according to the Times of India.

Hardly impressed with Bilawal's statements, many across the border took to social media to mock the patron, advising him to first bring Pakistan under control before thinking about Kashmir. Many also claimed that Bilawal's statement on this sensitive issue was representative of his political inexperience.

"Where were these Pakistani politicians when Kashmir was under floods? It was Modi and the Indian government which helped Kashmir, not Pakistan. On what grounds can they think that Kashmir is theirs?" said one comment on the Times of India website.

Here are some reactions from Twitter:

Bilawal wants Kashmir. I want all the world.

— Shivam Vij (@DilliDurAst) September 20, 2014

India and Pakistan both say J&K is theirs but why do we never hear India saying it will re-occupy PoK, Gilgit Baltistan?

— Shivam Vij (@DilliDurAst) September 20, 2014

As a Young Man he is already out of sync with current realities! Sad for region) @dna: "PPP to get entire Kashmir from India:Bilawal Bhutto"

— Kiran Bedi (@thekiranbedi) September 20, 2014

Subramanian Swamy's reaction when asked about Bilawal Bhutto's statement on Kashmir pic.twitter.com/WwvKbFGPcd

— ANI (@ANI) September 20, 2014

He needs some serious tutoring. Political aspirations: Bilawal pledges to take back Kashmir from India http://t.co/s0sEtF9OFw via @etribune

— zahid Hussain (@hidhussain) September 20, 2014

#Kashmir needs water pumps, not rhetoric. Bilawal pledges to take back Kashmir from India http://t.co/KbWMRRcObA #Pakistan

— Myra MacDonald (@myraemacdonald) September 20, 2014