‘Rahul’s fake ‘Mohabbat Ki Dukaan’ will shut on Oct 8’
Nowshera to get Collector’s office, Raina to be part of Govt
Paharis to get reservation in promotions after elections
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Sept 22: Union Home Minister Amit Shah said today that Jammu and Kashmir needs the BJP Government for peace, security, teaching Pakistan a lesson and giving befitting reply to terrorism even as he declared that no stone pelter or terrorists will be released and there will be no talks with Pakistan till it shuns terrorism.
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Addressing a mammoth rally at Nowshera in Rajouri district where BJP UT chief Ravinder Raina is seeking re-election, Shah announced reservations for Paharis in promotions in the Government jobs after the Assembly elections are completed in Jammu and Kashmir.
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“J&K needs a BJP Government to ensure that peace and security prevails, Pakistan is taught a lesson and terrorists are given a befitting reply. Ravinder Raina earlier said he won’t contest the elections and help the party candidates by campaigning for them, but I said he has to contest and become part of the Government,” the Home Minister said describing Raina’s political rival (Surinder Choudhary) as a turncoat and crediting Raina for ST status to Paharis. He said Raina followed ST status to Paharis with him like his personal work.
Referring to the first phase of elections on September 18, he said the NC-Congress coalition is not going to form the Government as they were cleaned up in the polling.
“They will face the same fate in the next round of elections on September 25,” he said.
Shah declared that Nowshera will get the Collector’s office (a long pending demand of the people) if Raina wins.
“The Paharis were denied what was their right. It was snatched by Congress, NC and PDP. We said we will give reservations to them and we did that. Farooq Abdullah (NC president) instigated Gujjars that their reservations will be snatched. But I assured that reservations of none will be cut and Paharis will get their due,” he said.
Hitting out at National Conference and Congress for denying reservations to Gujjars and Bakerwals, Paharis and Other Backward Classes (OBCs), the Home Minister said Rahul Gandhi (Leader of Opposition) has said these castes have developed and don’t need reservations now. However, he declared even if Rahul and Omar Abdullah hang upside down, the reservations won’t go.
Quoting Farooq Abdullah’s statement that they will bring back Article 370, Shah said their three generations have gone and even next three generations can’t bring back the 370.
Ruling out talks with Pakistan till the terrorism end, he said if talks are to be held they will be held with lions (youths) of Nowshera and Jammu and Kashmir.
“Congress and NC want to resume trade across the LoC and release terrorists from prisons. Stone pelters and terrorists are in jail and while Farooq claims terrorism will spread, the Modi Government will ensure it’s buried as deep as possible. No terrorist or stone pelter will be released. Farooq wants to rename Shankaracharya Parvat and Hari Parvat as `Takht-e-Suleman’ and `Koh-e-Maran’ but he has no powers to do so,” Shah said.
Referring to underground bunkers constructed by the Government for the safety of border residents over the years, he said there will be no need for such structures as “nobody has the power to open fire” from across the border.
“If they fire a bullet, we will respond with a shell,” he said.
“After the counting of votes on October 8, Rahul Gandhi’s so-called and fake ‘Mohabbat Ki Dukan’ is going to be closed,” Shah said, taking a jibe at Congress leader Rahul’s slogan of ‘Nafrat Ke Bazaar Mein, Mohabbat Ki Dukan’ which he often used during his Bharat Jodo Yatra.
After forming a Government in Jammu and Kashmir, the BJP will issue a white paper to expose the role of the three families who had ‘biryani’ with terrorists, he said.
This was the sixth rally of the Home Minister in the Jammu region in the past two days after reaching the city of temples on a three-day visit Friday evening. He held five rallies at Mendhar, Surankote, Thannamandi, Rajouri and Akhnoor yesterday. He returned to New Delhi today.
“I want to ask Abdullah who is responsible for 30 years of terrorism, death of 40,000 people, civil curfew for over 3,000 days… You were enjoying your holidays in London while Kashmir was burning,” the Home Minister said, adding the Modi Government came to power and “cleared terrorists”.
“After elections when our Government is formed, we will bring a white paper on terrorism and will fully expose the three families — Congress, Abdullahs and Muftis. We will see who brought terrorism to the Valley and under whose direction, who enjoyed ‘biryani’ with terrorists. We will expose everything,” the Home Minister said.
He said the tricolour is flying proudly in J-K and they want to restore the state flag of NC founder Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah. “Abdullah do whatever is in your power! But except our beloved tricolour, no other flag will fly in Kashmir.”
Shah referred to railway, road, power and health sector projects and said the Modi Government will further speed up developmental works and ensure tourism promotion also in the Jammu region which was “ignored” by governments over the years.
Shah mentioned that it is only under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership that people currently have a Rs 5 lakh golden card, which will soon be increased to Rs 10 lakh. The poor are receiving 5 kg of food grains, and farmers get Rs 6,000, which will rise to Rs 10,000.
The BJP has worked to ensure every household has access to water, electricity, security, roads, bridges and new educational facilities. In Jammu, Rs 25,200 crore have been invested in a 3,000 MW hydro project. Jammu now boasts AIIMS, IIM, NIFT, IIT, a Unani hospital, 8 new colleges, and 24 new colleges ‘bhawan’. The world’s highest railway bridge is on the Chenab River, the longest transportation tunnel is in Pir Panjal and Jammu ranks 3rd in the country for rural roads,” Shah said.
He announced that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has decided to connect even small populations of 50 people in the hilly regions with permanent roads, a development that will greatly benefit Nawshera.
“Former Union Home Minister and Congress leader Sushil Kumar Shinde admitted fearing to visit the Lal Chowk, but under the Modi Government, anyone can walk there without fear, as security has greatly improved under BJP rule” the Home Minister said.
He highlighted Modi’s transformative impact in Jammu & Kashmir, stating that after 30 years, cinema theatres now operate at night in the Valley, and after 35 years, Tazia processions, Janmashtami celebrations and Ganesh Chaturthi are being held again. Over 2 crore pilgrims now visit Jammu & Kashmir annually. The BJP also promises to develop two new tourist towns on the Pahadi side in Jammu, similar to Pahalgam.
“Significant infrastructure projects were also mentioned, such as the construction of National Highway 144A, the establishment of a Mother and Child Care Hospital in Lamberi, the addition of 100 beds at Nawshera’s Mandal Hospital, a Government degree college built by Ravinder Raina and there has also been the creation of sports facilities for youth like Stadium. Bunkers have been built. Lamberi also saw the establishment of an Agricultural Training Centre. The BJP has secured the Pahadi community’s status and protected the rights of Gujjars while granting reservation to Jats and providing 40,000 jobs in Jammu and Kashmir. If the people elect Ravinder Raina, under the ‘Maa Samman Yojana’, the senior-most woman in any household would receive a yearly cheque of Rs 18,000 Narendra Modi,” he added.
Shah announced several major promises, including reducing gas cylinder prices to Rs 500 and offering two free cylinders to women during Raksha Bandhan and Diwali. Farmers’ assistance will increase from Rs 6,000 to Rs 10,000 and the electricity bill for agriculture will be cut by 50%. Jammu will see the construction of an international airport, a metro system, and the restoration of 100 damaged temples annually. Water sports will be introduced at Ranjit Sagar Dam, and new schemes will be created for Kashmiri displaced persons. Under the Pandit Prem Nath Dogra Rozgar Yojna, 5 lakh Government jobs will be provided, while under the Pragati Shiksha Yojna, college students will receive Rs 3,000 and higher secondary students will get laptops and tablets. Doda will become a tourism hub, an IT hub in Jammu and a pharmaceutical hub in Udhampur. The BJP will establish a regional development board for Pahadi areas in Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.