NEW DELHI: Union home minister Amit Shah on Monday declared that there will be no trade or talks with Pakistan until complete normalcy is restored in Jammu and Kashmir.
Shah, during an election rally in J&K’s Ramban, launched a scathing attack on opposition parties
National Conference
(NC) and Congress, accusing them of fostering terrorism in the region. Shah reiterated that no dialogue or trade with Pakistan would take place until terrorism is completely eradicated from Jammu and Kashmir.
Criticising the opposition, Shah said, “They say that they will hold talks with Pakistan.
I want to clarify that until we are able to completely eradicate terrorism from Jammu and Kashmir, we will not hold any talks with Pakistan. They want to begin LoC trade… the same LoC trade from which terrorism was born here. I want to tell Omar Abdullah that until terrorism is removed from its roots from here, we will not start any trade with Pakistan.”
Shah’s remarks come as the Union Territory gears up for its first Assembly
elections
in a decade. Drawing clear battle lines, Shah said that the election is between the BJP and the alliance between the Congress and National Conference.
Shah said, “The election is between two powers. On the one hand, they pushed Jammu and Kashmir into the fire of terrorism for their political benefits; over 40,000 people were martyred here. I want to ask Farooq (Abdullah) Sahab and Rahul Gandhi, will they take responsibility for 35 years of terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir? They will not take the responsibility.”
Accusing the opposition of fostering terrorism, Shah said, “The Congress-National Conference alliance has always been a nourisher of terrorism… In the 1990s, when Farooq Abdullah was CM, you were elected after an agreement with Rajeev Gandhi. When the Kashmir Valley was soaked in blood due to terrorism, where were you?… You went to London for a summer vacation. Nehru, Gandhi, and the Abdullah family spread terrorism here, and now they want your blessings again. They boycotted the Kashmiri Pandits, spread terrorism, and delayed reservation. Do you want that NC-Congress again?”
He further asserted that as long as the BJP remains in power, no one would be able to reinstate Article 370.
“This election is between those who have abrogated Article 370 and those who brought Article 370. I want to ask the Gurjars and Pahadis, what has Article 370 given you in the last 70 years? Due to Article 370, Gurjars, Pahadis, Dalits, and women of Jammu and Kashmir did not get the benefits of reservation. PM Modi gave reservation to Paharis, OBCs, and Dalits without touching the reservation of the Gurjars. For 70 years, they ruled Jammu and Kashmir, but why were panchayat polls never held? PM Modi, in just 10 years, conducted gram panchayat, block panchayat, and district panchayat polls,” Shah said.
Highlighting the government’s efforts, Shah added, “PM Modi strengthened democracy in Jammu and Kashmir. I want to ask Farooq Abdullah: your three generations ruled, but did the people of Jammu and Kashmir ever get free treatment up to Rs 5 lakh? Modi Ji provided free treatment up to Rs 5 lakh to everyone, from the valley to the plains. Abdullah’s family ruled Jammu and Kashmir for three generations. Did anyone get 5 kg of free rice during their rule? PM Modi has given rice to every house.”
Shah also questioned the Abdullah family’s efforts to improve infrastructure, specifically under the scheme “Har Ghar me Nal se Jal” (Water to Every Home).
“If the BJP government is formed, we are committed to the development of Jammu region, Rajouri, and Poonch. They (Abdullah-Gandhi) say that if they come to power, all those in jail on terrorism charges will be freed. Once the Abdullah, Gandhi, and Muftis are defeated, we will completely eradicate terrorism from the valley. Congress put Sheikh Abdullah in jail for anti-national activities. If Rahul Gandhi has the courage, he should present the white paper that was submitted to the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly. The same Congress that blamed the Abdullah family for terrorism and kept Omar Abdullah’s father in jail is now forming an alliance to win the polls,” Shah said.Speaking at a rally in Kishtwar on Sunday, Shah said, “The upcoming elections are between two forces. On one hand, you have the BJP, which walks on the ideals of Pandit Prem Nath Dogra and Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee. It’s clear to us that J&K was and will always be an integral part of India. When we fought against the idea of ‘2 Vidhaan and 2 Pradhan’ for the country, the Congress Party, under Nehru’s leadership, opposed our campaign. Farooq Ji used to say that even if Modi Ji becomes Prime Minister 10 times, he cannot remove Article 370. Mehbooba Ji used to say that if Article 370 is removed, there will be bloodshed. But Prime Minister Narendra Modi removed Article 370 and established one flag, one leader, and one constitution in the country.”
The Congress and National Conference have formed an alliance for the upcoming assembly polls, which will be held in three phases starting September 18, with results to be announced on October 8.
