The Narendra Modi government will wipe out terrorism from Jammu and Kashmir to make it the “most peaceful place in the country”, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Wednesday. Addressing a public meeting in Baramulla, Shah ruled out any dialogue with Pakistan to resolve the Kashmir issue.
“Some people say we should talk to Pakistan. Why should we talk to Pakistan? We will not talk. We will talk to the people of Baramulla, we will talk to the people of Kashmir,” he said, taking a dig at National Conference president Farooq Abdullah and People’s Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti who have been maintaining that India should talk to the neighbouring country to bring peace into the region.
Shah further targeted both Mufti and Abdullah alleging that their rule was full of misgovernance, corruption and lack of development.
“Mufti and company, and Abdullah and sons ruled Kashmir for 70 years, but did not provide 1 lakh houses, but Prime Minister Narendra Modi, from 2014 till 2022, has given houses to 1 lakh people in J&K,” the home minister said.
Urging the youths to shun the path of violence, Shah said terrorism has claimed 42,000 lives in Jammu and Kashmir since the 1990s and asked whether it has ever benefited anyone.
The home minister also took a swipe at the Peoples’ Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD), accusing it of laying red carpet for the Pakistani terrorists into the country. PAGD, a political alliance of six regional parties in J-K, was formed to seek restoration of Article 370 and statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.
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“There are two models. One of PM Modi which gives employment, peace and brotherhood; and another is the Gupkar model which led to the Pulwama attack. PM Modi made a hospital in Pulwama at an expense of Rs 2,000 crore. The Gupkar model is laying the red carpet for the Pakistani terrorists into the country, whereas the Modi model is implementing an investment of Rs 56,000 crore on the ground giving employment to the youth. Gupkar model placed stones, closed colleges, and machine guns in the hands of the youth. Modi model has IIM, IIT, AIIMS, NIFT, and NEET for the youth. The youth wants education not stones in their hands,” he said.
Shah promised that assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir will be held with “full transparency” once the Election Commission completes the exercise of publishing the revised electoral rolls.
“We have started a political process. I want to assure you that once the work of publishing electoral rolls by the Election Commission is completed, elections will be conducted with full transparency and your own elected representatives will govern here,” he said.
(With Input From Agencies)