Shah blames ‘PDP’s failure’ for BJP’s pull-out
Says PDP failed in restoring peace, ensuring development of Jammu and Ladakh
“We pulled out of the government because Mehbooba Mufti-led government failed to ensure equitable governance and development of all three regions particularly in Jammu and Ladakh besides its failure to restore peace in Kashmir,”
Jammu, Jun 23: Putting the onus for his party’s pull-out from the coalition government squarely on the PDP, BJP president Amit Shah today blamed the former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti-led government for failing to restore peace in the Valley and accused it of not ensuring equitable development of Jammu and Ladakh regions.
During his maiden visit to this winter capital of the state after the collapse of PDP-BJP government today, Amit Shah said failures of the Mehbooba Mufti-led government forced BJP to pull out of the coalition.
“PDP-government failed in implementing mega projects despite liberal funding by the Modi-led government in the centre,” Shah said while addressing a public gathering at a function organised to mark “Balidan Divas” of Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee here in the heart of the city.
While counting some of the major projects sanctioned for Jammu and Ladakh regions, BJP chief said that PDP failed to implement these projects despite liberal funding by the Centre.
“In Jammu, the PDP leadership did not allot land for AIIMS. We have a right to seek answers from PDP on this,” he said while conceding that his observations would spark off a political debate in the state and the country.
“Under PDP, discrimination with Jammu and Ladakh regions continued despite Narendra Modi government sending in huge funds. So we thought, we should come out of the government,” Shah said.
“We pulled out of the government because Mehbooba Mufti-led government failed to ensure equitable governance and development of all three regions particularly in Jammu and Ladakh besides its failure to restore peace in Kashmir,” said the BJP president.
Referring to the PDP-BJP government’s performance in the last three years, he made a veiled attack on the PDP-led regime, saying that there was no peace.
“Maintaining peace and ensuring equitable development in all three regions of the state were part of agreements in the common minimum programme, but peace did not prevail,” he said.
“BJP holds all the rights to ask them (PDP) as to why Jammu and Ladakh were discriminated against in the implementation of developmental projects. They (PDP) will have to answer this,” said Shah adding, “what is the use of staying in a government which does not allow development in Jammu or Ladakh regions?”
“The Prime Minister Narendra Modi government has in the last three years released a whopping Rs 80,000 crore for the state but they were not utilised by the PDP-headed government at par in all the three regions,” Shah claimed.
The BJP leader said that BJP could not be party to a dispensation in the state which could not protect slain Army soldier like Aurangzeb or a newspaper editor Shujaat Bukhari.
He also alleged when Congress party ran an alliance government with National Conference and PDP in Jammu and Kashmir, “they looted common people to fill their coffers”.
He also claimed that the BJP is the only party which rejoiced and celebrated fall of its own government in Jammu and Kashmir “but controversial remarks by the Congress’ Ghulam Nabi Azad and Saif-ud-Din Soz showed their ‘pro-Pakistan’ ideology.”
He lashed out at Azad and Soz and challenged Congress president Rahul Gandhi to tender an apology for their “pro-Pakistan” statements.
“In fact, what Azad said, I cannot even repeat…What kind of relationship is there between Congress leaders and Lashkar-e-Taiba? What kind of relationship is this that the opinion of Lashkar-e-Taiba is the same as that of Congress leaders like Ghulam Nabi Azad?” Shah said.
“This shows that ours is a party of ‘desh bhakts’ (patriots)… for us, power does not matter much,” he claimed.
Shah also said that Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee and Pandit Prem Nath Dogra, always remained an inspiration for the BJP and said, “Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and no force can separate it.”
Shah however, made no mention of Article 370, though people of Jammu expected him to say something on its abrogation, which has all along been BJP’s core agenda.
Shah also said that “Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and the BJP will never allow it to be disintegrated from the country.”
The saffron party chief also claimed that J&K is part of India due to the efforts of Jana Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mookerjee.
“We will never allow Kashmir to get disintegrated from India. Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of the country,” Shah told the rally.
He said Mookerjee laid down his life to integrate Jammu and Kashmir with the country along with Praja Parishad’s movement.
“It (J&K being integral part of India) cannot not change,” Shah said.
Earlier, Shah reviewed the party’s preparations and strategy for the Lok Sabha election due next year.
“The BJP president chaired several meetings and reviewed organisational functioning, preparations for the forthcoming LS polls and its strategy,” a senior BJP leader said.
Shah chaired the election committee meeting of the party to discuss the issues for the next election, he said.
The top leadership of the party’s state unit briefed the BJP chief about the political situation after the imposition of the Governor’s rule.
The leaders have briefed him about the forthcoming programmes of the party in J&K in view of LS polls and also gave him elaborate briefing about the current programmes in the state.
