Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday said India is ready to embrace Pakistan and start a process of dialogue with it provided the neighbouring country gives a guarantee that it will stop promoting terrorism on Indian soil.

Singh accused the Congress, National Conference (NC) and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) of working as “proxies of Pakistan” and said the BJP will not allow anyone to run the “impure agenda” of Islamabad in Jammu and Kashmir.

Addressing poll rallies at Kotranka and Sunderbani in support of BJP candidates Choudhary Zulfikar Ali (fielded from the Budhal Assembly segment) and Thakur Randhir Singh (nominated from the Kalakote-Sunderbani seat) in this border district, Singh said Hindu-Muslim unity is imperative for the country’s progress.

“They (NC and PDP) are advocating dialogue with Pakistan, a country that is aiding and abetting terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir. Terrorism and dialogue cannot go on together but if Pakistan gives a guarantee that it will stop promoting terrorism on Indian soil, we are ready to embrace it and start talks,” he said.