Surgical strikes have shown India’s new policy to World, says PM
*KPs return to Valley with honour, safety
*Many issues left out by coalition Govt
*Cong committed fraud with farmers
Sanjeev Pargal / Nishikant Khajuria/ Fayaz Bukhari
JAMMU/SRINAGAR, Feb 3: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today sent out a clear and stern message to the militants operating in the Valley as well as their mentors across the Line of Control (LoC) that the militancy will be crushed with full force and its backbone will be broken even as he declared that surgical strikes carried out by India (in Pakistan in September 2016) has shown the world country’s new policy and tradition in tackling the terrorism.
During day-long visit to all three regions of the State today, Modi addressed a mammoth public rally at Vijaypur in Samba district of Jammu and two functions in Srinagar and Leh after laying foundation stones and inauguration of multiple projects at all three places. He also laid foundation stone of 54 new Model Degree Colleges, 11 Professional Colleges and one Women University and inaugurated 16 Model Degree Colleges and 66 Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Career Hubs across the country from the SKICC Srinagar.
Governor Satya Pal Malik and Union Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Dr Jitendra Singh accompanied the Prime Minister at all three functions in Leh, Jammu and Srinagar. Click here to watch video
“The Government will break backbone of the militancy. We will give befitting response (Muhtod Jawaab) to every terrorist operation in the State,” Modi said in one of the sternest warning to the terrorists in the Valley, who have been killing innocent citizens even as he showered all praises on Nazir Ahmed Wani and Aurangzeb, two Army soldiers from Kashmir and Jammu region, who were martyred and Tajamul Islam, a teen-ager sportsperson from the Valley, who had won gold medal at international level.
Asserting that the people of Kashmir were angered over the killings of innocent persons (by the militants) and that youth were being made victims of militancy, the Prime Minister said the Government will fight terrorism with full force and crush it.
He declared that surgical strikes conducted by India across the Line of Control (in Pakistan) have shown the world our new policy and tradition in tackling terrorism.
Paying homage to those killed while fighting terrorists, including Nazir Ahmed Wani and Aurangzeb, the two Army martyrs, Modi said heroes are those who live to fulfill dreams and the biggest cowards are the ones who kill others’ dreams.
“Today the whole country is angry to see the killings of innocent and armless Kashmiri youths. (These Kashmiri boys are targeted) because these youths want to live and fulfill their dreams. But they are targeted by terrorism. This is the truth of terrorism here,” he said, adding the Indian Government will fight terrorism with all its might.
At the same time, the Prime Minister said his Government will follow late Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s approach on Jammu and Kashmir of “peaceful and prosperous Kashmir” with the motto of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikaas” (collective efforts, inclusive growth).
“We will keep making all the efforts (in realizing this dream),” he added.
Without naming PDP and BJP, Modi admitted that during coalition Government in Jammu and Kashmir, many things were not possible.
“However, (after exit of the Government), we held Panchayat and Municipal elections in the State with massive 70 percent voter turnout and that too, without any violence,” he said.
Further, Modi said, militancy is now being dealt with sternly and development has been fast paced.
Assuring return and rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits to the Kashmir valley with full dignity, honour and safety, Modi said work on more transit accommodation for them at Vessu and Sheikhpora was on and after construction of 700 flats, the Kashmiri Pandit families will get roof to live in the Valley. He added that the migrants will be provided full security cover on return.
“Kashmiriyat demands that those Kashmiri Pandits who had to flee due to the violence here, leaving behind their houses, land and memories of their ancestors, they should be settled here with full honour,” Modi said.
He said the State administration has already started construction of transit accommodation for migrant Kashmiri Pandits at Vessu in South Kashmir and Sheikhpora district under the Prime Minister’s Development package (PMDP) announced for the state in 2015.
“After completing the construction of nearly 700 flats, the migrant families will get a new roof. It will be the Government’s endeavour that anyone who wants to return here, they will be brought here with full security and honour,” he added.
The Prime Minister said the Government was also duty bound to provide employment avenues for those who wish to return.
“Under the PMDP, the State Government has sanctioned 3,000 posts in this regard. I have confidence that these recruitments will take place soon,” he said.
Lauding the people of Jammu and Kashmir for braving threats to turn up in large numbers to exercise their right to franchise during Panchayat and Municipal elections, Modi said the people have set an example and amply demonstrated that the people wanted development.
At Vijaypur rally also, Modi touched the issue of Kashmiri Pandits, saying he has been bearing the pain of their exodus.
He said the Central Government was committed to ensure respect and dignity of the displaced community.
“The pain that they had to undergo. That they had to leave their homeland. I have never said this before but I have been feeling this pain of their within me,” Modi said.
He announced that the Government is going to build 14,000 bunkers in border areas of Jammu to ensure safety of people, which will help the border dwellers a lot.
“The Government is dealing strictly with the terrorism (being faced by the State),” he said.
Modi took a jibe at the Congress party’s farm loan waiver announcement and claimed that his Government’s recent initiative of direct income support of Rs 6000 to the small farmers was more practical and a better scheme.
He recalled that in 2008-2009, the Congress party had promised to waive off loans of farmers, which were in the range of Rs 6 lakh crores but when it came to power, only Rs 52,000 crores were waived off and later the CAG investigations established that 30-35 lakh of these beneficiaries were not eligible for the same.
“Who were these unlawful beneficiaries? On whose direction they were extended undue benefit? Wo Kiska Panja Tha (whose hand was there)?” he asked the crowd, which was repeatedly yelling Modi Modi…..
The Prime Minister alleged that the demand of farm loan waivers by Congress was a gimmick ahead of the election to win votes and previous such initiatives of the party have benefitted only middlemen and selected farmers.
“Inki Niyat Aur Niti Kissan Ka Pet Bharna Nahi Balki Bicholion Ko Palna Hai (Their intention and policies are not aimed to feed farmers but the middlemen),” he said and added that people know the track record of country’s `naamdar’ who get fever of loan waivers just before elections.
Modi claimed that only 30 to 40 percent get benefit of loan waiver even if the scheme in this regard is sincerely implemented. “Average 20 percent people have got benefitted so far from these loan waver schemes of Congress, which left out 70-80 percent poor farmers. What about these people?” he asked and said that, on the other hand, direct income support of Rs 6,000 to farmers cultivating on up to five acres of land, being taken by his Government at the Centre, would help 12 crore families and 90 percent of farmers will be eligible for the benefit.
“In comparison to Congress party’s loan waiver once in a decade, Rs 7.5 lakh crores will go in the farmers’ bank account directly in a period of 10 years under our direct income support scheme of giving Rs 6000 to them annually in three equal installments of Rs 2, 000,” Modi said adding that efforts were being made to ensure release of the first installment at the earliest. The Prime Minister also accused the Congress party of lying even on the issue of ‘One Rank, One Pension’ (OROP) to retired defence personnel and said that only one sixth of the amount required for implementation of the scheme was allocated by then UPA Government before demitting office. “How much they (Congress) lie? They talked big on the issue of welfare of ex-servicemen and allocated a meager Rs 500 crore whereas this Government has allocated over Rs 35,000 crore which included arrears worth Rs 11,000 crore,” he said. The Prime Minister cited proposed amendments in the Citizenship Bill saying the country stands with those who faced persecution on the basis of their faith.
“We have brought the matter of change in Citizenship Bill with a commitment. Those (people) who had to part with India due to some condition in 1947, if they face persecution on the basis of their faith then the country has to stand with them,” he said.
The Citizenship Bill seeks to grant nationality to non-Muslims who fled religious persecution from three neighbouring countries — Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh and entered India before December 31, 2014.
Protests were witnessed in different parts of the country over the Bill, which has been passed by Lok Sabha.
Modi said that if required attention had been given to the issue of Kartarpur corridor, then the pious land of Guru Nanak Dev would have been part of India.
The corridor, whose foundation stone was laid late last year, will connect Darbar Sahib in Pakistan’s Kartarpur – the final resting place of the Sikhism founder Guru Nanak – with Dera Baba Nanak shrine in India’s Gurdaspur district and facilitate visa-free movement of Indian Sikh pilgrims, who will only have to obtain a permit to visit Kartarpur Sahib, established in 1522 by Guru Nanak.
Modi hit out at so-called “wise and big people” in the opposition parties for ridiculing his Government’s Jan Dhan scheme of financial inclusion, saying the bank accounts opened under it will help in ensuring that the benefits of recently-announced PM-Kissan Samman Nidhi programme reach its right beneficiary.
“Those ridiculing me have now realised what these accounts will be used for,” he said.
Referring to upcoming general elections, the Prime Minister said the ‘jung (war)’ of 2019 is for taking country ahead.
Meanwhile, Modi today laid foundation stones for several development projects from Vijaypur in Samba district of Jammu region, including an All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and an Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), in Jammu.
Modi said setting up of new AIIMS would transform health care facilities and will also provide new opportunities to the youth.
The proposed AIIMS will be a 750-bedded hospital.
The Prime Minister said Rs 750 crore have been granted to the State for setting up of five new Medical Colleges.
“The sessions will start soon (in these Medical Colleges). From the last 70 years, there were only 500 (MBBS) seats, but the BJP Government has now doubled the seats,” Modi said.
He also laid the foundation stone for northern regional centre campus of IIMC in Jammu. It will be set up at a cost of Rs 16 crore.
The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone for 624-MW Kiru hydroelectric project in Kishtwar. It is a run-of-the-river project across the Chenab and once completed, it will generate 2272 million units of electricity annually.
He inaugurated the 9-MW Dah hydroelectric project. Located in Dah near village Datang, this project is a run-of-the-river scheme.
Modi also dedicated to the nation the 220-KV Srinagar-Alusteng-Drass-Kargil-Leh transmission system. The foundation stone of the prestigious project was laid by Modi in August 2014.
He laid the foundation stone for 1,640-metre span double-lane bridge over the Chenab river in Sajwal.
Besides, number of other projects were either inaugurated or foundation stone was laid for them by the Prime Minister.
Meanwhile, Union Minister of State for PMO, Dr Jitendra Singh today said that foundation of Shahpur Kandi project was not laid by the Prime Minister as it has been converted into a national project and involved two States of Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab.
Therefore, he said, foundation of Shahpur Kandi project can’t be laid from Jammu. However, he declared that work on the project will start in the next few days. In his speech also, Dr Jitendra Singh credited the Prime Minister for his intervention in agreement between J&K and Punjab over Shahpur Kandi project and declaring it as national project, which will irrigate Kandi belt of Samba and Kathua districts, apart from Gurdaspur district and other areas of Punjab.
Kiru power project, Devika and Tawi Rejuvenation Plan and some other projects for which foundation stone was laid today, fall in the Parliamentary constituency of Dr Jitendra Singh (Udhampur-Doda-Kathua).
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