Jammu and Kashmir, April 8
Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary on Wednesday welcomed the announcement of a ceasefire between the United States and Iran, describing war as inherently destructive and emphasizing that peaceful resolution should always be the priority.
Speaking to reporters, Choudhary said, "Hindustan has always maintained that war is not the way. War only brings destruction... During this time, Hindustan's stance has always been that the fight should be stopped in any way... War is not a solution to any issue. The announcement of the ceasefire today is a very happy matter, although the situation of war should not have arisen in the first place... We hope that the ceasefire will be permanent, not temporary."
When asked if Iran could be considered the "winner" in the conflict, the Deputy CM said, "Look, in war, there is no winning or losing; there is only destruction. I won't act like a referee and say who won or lost. The point is, war is war. The damage that happened, the lives lost, the businesses destroyed, and families ruined--where is the 'victory' in that? Whether it's one person dying or another, whether it happened in Iran or America... even a couple of our kids from Jammu & Kashmir were unfortunately killed. So, I don't see this in terms of win or loss; it is a destruction that shouldn't happen."
Elaborating on India's perspective, he added, "India has always maintained one thing: war is not a solution. War is not a path through which you can achieve anything good. War always brings destruction. India's stance has always been that war should stop in any way possible. It's better late than never. First of all, war shouldn't have happened. India has seen many wars, and Jammu & Kashmir, in particular, has suffered huge losses and many sacrifices. Therefore, war is no solution. Now that a ceasefire has been announced, it is a matter of joy. We hope this ceasefire is permanent and not just temporary, so that no more lives are lost."
This comes after US President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced a temporary halt to the "bombing and attack" campaign on Iran, proposing a two-week, double-sided ceasefire window. Trump also indicated that a 10-point proposal put forward by Iran was "workable," signalling a possible diplomatic opening between the two long-time adversaries.
Choudhary also praised recent actions by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha in Jammu & Kashmir, where two government employees were terminated for alleged terror links. He said, "That is a good thing. Terror links--whether it's a government employee or anyone else, even if it were someone like me or you--cannot be tolerated. It is the right move."
- ANI
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