Gulabgarh/Kishtwar/Chanderkote: Asserting that BJP-led central government will bury terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir so deep that it can never rise again, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday reiterated that Article 370 is now history and will never be a part of India’s constitution again.
Addressing an election rally in Padder-Nagseni assembly segment of Kishtwar district on the last day of campaigning, Shah said the National Conference-Congress alliance will not be able to form the J&K government.
“Today, I promise to the people of Jammu and Kashmir, including this region which has a history of sacrifices following the eruption of terrorism in 1990, that we will bury terrorism to such a deep level that it will never surface again,” the home minister said.
He added that attempts are being made to revive and strengthen terrorism like the 1990s.
Shah said the BJP government has strengthened the village defence guards (VDGs) and Special Police Officers (SPOs) who are being provided modern weapons, replacing the old .303 rifles with self-loading rifles.
“The security grid being laid is such that any number of people (terrorists) who want to come here from anywhere will face their end in these hills at the hands of our Army and police jawans,” the home minister said.
This was the home minister’s second visit to the Jammu region within a fortnight. Earlier, during his two-day visit to Jammu on September 6 and 7, he released BJP’s manifesto for J&K assembly elections and addressed a workers convention.
Monday is the last day for campaigning in 24 assembly constituencies, including Padder-Nagseni, which goes to polls in the first phase on September 18. BJP has fielded former minister Sunil Sharma from the constituency for the assembly elections.
Seeking support for the BJP candidate, Shah said, “This election is between two powers, on one side National Conference and PDP and on the other BJP. The NC-Congress are saying that if we form the government we will restore Article 370. Tell me should it be restored?” he asked.
“Reservation given by BJP to Paharis and Gujjars and others will be snatched,” he said.
“Don’t worry, I am watching the situation in Kashmir and be assured that neither Abdullahs’ nor Rahul’s party are going to form the government in J&K,” the home minister said.
Shah said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has revoked Article 370, and it has now become a part of history books. “There is no place for it in the constitution of India anymore.”
The home minister said if they are in power in Delhi, how will the NC restore Article 370. “I am leaving with a promise that neither Article 370, nor terrorism will be allowed to return or reservation of Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes can be touched,” he said.
Shah added that the NC and Congress insulted the Dogras by deporting the last Dogra ruler Maharaja Hari Singh. The minister said he has seen a video of Maharaja’s son Karan Singh expressing displeasure over the return of his ashes to J&K, instead of the mortal remains.
“They insulted the Maharaja and forced out Kashmiri Pandits. Whenever they came to power, terrorism got encouragement. They snatched rights of women and never granted reservation to the deserving sections,” he said.
Targeting Farooq Abdullah, he said when terrorism erupted in J&K in 1990’s, he was enjoying in London.
Addressing an election rally in Kishtwar, Shah said there is a clear fight between the Congress-NC alliance and the BJP — one wanting to bring back Article 370, and the other committed to stopping it.
He said voting in favour of BJP candidate Shugan Parihar is not only for development and progress but also to pay tribute to martyrs, including her father.
“This election in Jammu and Kashmir is clearly between two forces. On one side are the National Conference (NC) and the Congress, and on the other side is the BJP. It is a contest between the BJP and the Gandhi-Abdullah families. Both have clear agendas,” Shah told a public rally.
He said the BJP follows the ideology of Prem Nath Dogra – “One Constitution, one flag, and one Prime Minister,” affirming that Jammu and Kashmir is an inseparable part of India, and “no one can reverse that”.
Shah said that if the Congress-NC alliance returns to power, “there will be shootings again, stone-pelting will resume, funerals for terrorists will be held again, the Tazia procession will be banned again, cinema halls will be shut down again, there will be attacks on the Amarnath Yatra once more, and the investment coming to Jammu and Kashmir will be replaced by unemployment.”
He claimed the Congress, which once called the Abdullah family “traitors” and held them responsible for terrorism, had kept Omar Abdullah’s grandfather in jail for years. “Today, to defeat Modi-ji, Rahul Gandhi and Abdullah are saying ‘ILU ILU’ to each other.”
He said PM Modi has “strengthened” democracy in Jammu and Kashmir. “I want to ask Farooq Abdullah – your family ruled for three generations, but did the people of Jammu and Kashmir ever receive free medical treatment worth up to Rs 5 lakh? Modi-ji has provided free treatment worth up to Rs 5 lakh to everyone, from the valley to the plains.”
Recalling the party’s “long battle” over Kashmir, he said, “Under the leadership of Syama Prasad Mookerjee and Pandit Prem Nath Dogra, the Praja Parishad and the Bharatiya Jana Sangh fought against the idea of ‘two flags, two constitutions, and two leaders’ in one country.”
Shah alleged the Congress government, led by the then prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru, crushed the movement. “They used to say, even if stars fall from the sky, Article 370 will never be removed.”
Shah also said the Narendra Modi-led government would provide jobs to youths holding laptops and tricolour in their hands and would not allow these parties to revive terrorism.
“Jails are ready for stone-pelters,” the home minister said, addressing his third election rally of the day here in Ramban district on the last day of the campaigning for the first phase of elections scheduled for September 18.
The home minister also strongly opposed the regional parties for advocating dialogue with Pakistan and the restarting of the cross-border trade, saying nothing of this sort is going to happen till terrorism is completely eliminated.
Referring to the J&K BJP manifesto for the assembly polls, he said a White Paper will be issued after the three-phase elections to ensure accountability for over 40,000 persons who lost their lives in terrorism over the past 35 years in the Union Territory.
“They (NC, PDP and Congress) want to release terrorists and stone-pelters and provide them jobs. I want to tell them that the Modi government will provide jobs to the youth who are holding laptops and tricolour in their hands,” he said at the rally in support of party candidates – Rakesh Singh Thakur (Ramban) and Mohammad Saleem Bhat (Banihal).
He said these parties are advocating dialogue with Pakistan and the restarting of cross-border trade along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir which was suspended in April 2019.
“I want to clarify that no talks will be held with Pakistan till the terrorism is over. Let (NC leader) Omar Abdullah do his best, no trade will be held with Pakistan till the terrorism is buried in the ‘Pataal’ (bottomless pit),” the home minister said.
“Your intention is to bring back terrorism which will not be allowed,” he said criticising Omar Abdullah for saying that Parliament attack convicts should not have been hanged. “You are playing with fire because terrorism does not benefit anyone.”
Shah referred to the NC manifesto and said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi supported it even as the regional party talked about bringing back Article 370 and the second flag.
“Do you need a second flag?” he said to the audience who replied in the negative by waving their hands.
“Rahul baba do whatever is in your power, Jammu and Kashmir will have only one flag and that is our beloved tricolour,” Shah said.
“I want to ask you and the people in Kashmir, especially the Muslim brothers and sisters what Article 370 gave you except poverty, unemployment and terrorism.
“The Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and Sikhs have no benefit of Article 370, and only these three families — Abdullah (NC), Gandhi (Congress) and Mufti (PDP) — used it for their political interests,” he said.
“Do they deserve your votes? They gave guns and stones in the hands of the youth while ensuring their children get education abroad to enjoy power later,” he said, adding it was the Modi government that provided an opportunity to 30,000 youths by holding panchayat elections in J&K.
“I want to ask both Farooq Abdullah and Rahul Gandhi whether they are ready to take responsibility for the loss of lives in terrorism. I know they will not,” he said, adding “BJP has decided to issue a White Paper after elections to fix responsibility.”
Referring to the setting up of various educational and medical institutions like AIIMS and the enhancing connectivity, he said the BJP facilitated industrial development and improved electricity supply but the opposition parties want to “throw J&K once again into the fire of terrorism by bringing back Article 370”.
He said BJP is moving forward with its slogan of ‘Sabka saath, sabka vikas, sabka vishwas.
