Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Dec 27: Strongly defending the Prime Minister’s initiative of peace with Pakistan, Union Minister of State in PMO with independent charge of North Eastern States, Dr Jitendra Singh today said that with restoration of peace on borders and Sub Continent, the J&K which bore the brunt of terrorism in last 26 years will be the most beneficiary.
“The J&K has borne the brunt of cross border terrorism in the second half quarter of the century and with the restoration of peace on borders as well as Subcontinent with the initiative of Prime Minister, Narendra Modi the State will be most beneficiary”, Dr Singh told reporters while replying to a question that earlier it was said that talks and terrorism can’t go together.
The Union Minister said that it is true that talks and terrorism can’t go together but at the same time talks on terrorism have to be carried on to end the terrorism. Quoting an English proverb that some times war is to be fought to restore peace, he said “for culmination of terrorism at one point or the other point the only option is to get engaged in discussion just as to end war dialogue and discussions are held to restore peace”.
He said “with the visit of PM to Pak, India has given a loud and clear message to world community that we want to live in the atmosphere of co-existence and peace”.
He said the visit of Prime Minister was aimed at bettering relations between the two countries and took a dig at some opposition parties for saying that PM visited Pakistan without any preparation which is not a fact. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Pakistan is a “positive step” which would lead to more such steps in future, he added.
He said entire world even Pak media was taken by surprise with PM’s visit to neighboring country on Friday. Terming it a welcome and positive step , he said the opposition was unnecessary raking up the issue that PM did not make a disclosure first and added “many initiatives don’t go forward because they remain in discussion domain only”.
He said when Prime Minister did not talk, these Opposition parties alleged that he is not talking and when he talks they said he should not have talked. This shows the double standard of opposition, he added.
Dr Singh said that earlier when National Security Advisor, Ajit Dovel talked to his Pak counterpart in Bangkok, the Opposition said they should have not met in third country and now they are opposing PM’s initiative also.
“The most interesting fact was that when Prime Minister got out of the aircraft and the Pakistan media was running forward to cover him he along with Nawaz Sharif immediately boarded the helicopter and Pakistan media was not aware of anything,” the Minister said.
“This is something which has been welcomed by and large by everybody”, he said.
To criticism by Opposition parties, Singh said, “except for those few who are not inclined to give Prime Minister the credit, everybody else has welcomed it. But some of the opposition leaders who are not comfortable with it are the ones who would criticize us anyway.”
He said some of the opposition leaders would criticize the Prime Minister for whatever he does.
Asked whether the issue of the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir would also figure in the talks between the two countries, he said the roadmap for talks was yet to be decided.
“What to talk and where to start, this thing has to be decided. If we discuss anything in public today it might pre-empt the very initiative itself and it might not be in the national interest to discuss the possible agenda,” he said.
When asked to react on the statement of veteran actor Anupam Kher who has said that the revocation of Article 370 from the Constitution would end all the problems of Kashmir, he said that it was the Government of Jammu and Kashmir to take a call on the issue
“There is a coalition Government, very sensitive Government…. They have an agenda of the alliance, they should take a call,” he said.
Replying to a question about the statement of BJP general secretary Ram Madhav in which he had said that one day India, Pakistan and Bangladesh would unite, the MoS in PMO said such a school of thought existed even before the partition.
“I don’t think such type of discussion is going on. Right now it is about improving the relationship (between India and Pakistan). There is a school of thought which existed before the partition and which was not convinced with the two nation theory.
On the issue of reports claiming that PDP was preparing to replace Mufti Mohammed Sayeed with his daughter Mehbooba Mufti as the Chief Minister of the State, he said that if something of this sort happens, BJP has a mechanism to take a decision.
“There is a mechanism in the party (BJP) and if any situations like this comes up there are authorities in the party to take a call on it. Of course they will consult the workers like me, but there are some designated authorities to take decision,” he said.
When asked to comment on media reports suggesting that terrorist outfit Islamic State (IS) was trying to spread its tentacles in Kashmir, he said the Defence Minister during his recent visit to Jammu and Kashmir had said that the Government was in control of these activities.
Besides highlighting the achievements of the Modi Government, the Union Minister also highlighted the work he has done in his constituency under various central schemes.
He said various initiatives were taken for the development of the country by Prime Minister and many welfare schemes like Jan Dan Yojna ,Atal Pension Yojna and Mudra Yojna were launched by PM for welfare of people. He said under Mudra Yojna a loan upto Rs 10 lakh can be given without mortgaging the property.
Setting a new trend, Dr Singh said legislators will give account of their performance from time to time and welcome suggestions from the people.
He said a roaster has been formed that in the areas where the MP can’t visit himself a team formed by him will reach their to have an spot study of people’s problems and take decisions with consultation of MP in settling them.
He said MPLAD Fund has been provided for various works including establishing of community halls, University campus at Patnitop, construction of tube wells etc.
He said the Machedi village which came into news recently that it has been neglected by administration, a BJP team led by Sanjeev Sharma visited the village and took on spot decision of constructing an examination hall in the School and also development of local pond there.
He said besides four villages have been adopted by him in his constituency under Adarsh Gram Yojna.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
