A video of controversial journalist Rajdeep Sardesai has gone viral online, showing him suggesting that India should consider handing over Pakistan-occupied J&K (PoJK) to Pakistan and recognise the Line of Control (LoC) as the international border to achieve a “permanent solution” to disputes with the neighbouring country.
Rajdeep Sardesai wants to give PoK to Pakistan as part of permanent solution. He wants to turn LoC into international border.
We saw Pakistan's inability to fight a war with India and called out the nuclear bluff as well but Rajdeep says let us not underestimate Pakistan's… pic.twitter.com/9f8n7CLQxx
— Incognito (@Incognito_qfs) May 26, 2025
“The permanent solution won’t come unless we address the core issue. We need to talk about terrorism with Pakistan, and eventually, we’ll have to look at our internal matters in J&K as well,” Sardesai is heard saying in the video.
He further stated, “How are we going to take back Pakistan-occupied J&K? We have two options. One is to accept the current LoC as the international border—which has been proposed before and, in my view, could be a possible solution.”
“Are you telling me we’ll walk into PoJK tomorrow and Pakistan will just give it up?” Rajdeep Sardesai questioned, appearing to undermine India’s firm stance on reclaiming its occupied territory from Pakistan. Sardesai made these controversial remarks during a debate on India Today, with the video clip surfacing online on May 22 this year.
Adding fuel to the fire, Sardesai went on to warn against underestimating Pakistan’s military capabilities. “We should not underestimate Pakistan’s capacity to strike back,” he said, in a comment that many interpreted as a veiled criticism of India’s assertive defence policy.
The backlash comes amid renewed public sentiment and political consensus over India’s claim on PoJK, with the government repeatedly asserting that the region remains an integral part of India and will be reclaimed. Sardesai’s remarks are being viewed as running counter to this national position and have prompted calls for accountability from prominent voices across the spectrum.
The controversy surrounding Rajdeep Sardesai’s remarks comes close on the heels of a brutal terror attack in J&K’s Pahalgam region, which shook the nation on April 22. In one of the deadliest attacks in recent years, terrorists ambushed a convoy of tourists, killing 26 innocent civilians. The horrific incident sent shockwaves across the country and reignited the debate over cross-border terrorism originating from Pakistan.
In response, the Indian security forces launched Operation Sindoor, a swift and well-coordinated counter-terror operation aimed at dismantling the terror networks responsible for the attack. Within days, Indian intelligence agencies, including the Army, CRPF, and J&K Police, neutralised several key operatives behind the ambush. The Indian Army’s action was widely praised for its precision, speed, and effectiveness, showcasing the country’s zero-tolerance policy toward terrorism.
Furthermore, the intelligence community also ramped up surveillance, leading to a nationwide crackdown on espionage networks allegedly linked to Pakistan. Arrests were made across multiple states, including Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Haryana, as agencies acted decisively against individuals suspected of leaking sensitive information.
The Pahalgam attack and the robust military and intelligence response have only strengthened India’s stance on national security and territorial integrity. In this context, Sardesai’s suggestion to formalise the Line of Control as an international border and effectively cede Pakistan-occupied J&K (PoJK) to Pakistan has been viewed by many as deeply insensitive and misaligned with the national sentiment.
