‘Sufi culture ended, KPs ousted, Jammu & Ladakh discriminated’
*You made me permanent, I ended temporary 370
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Oct 19: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said today that it will be the Indian Government’s writ which will run now in Kashmir and not that of separatists, terrorists and the “enemy nation” (a reference towards Pakistan), who used to finalize weekly and monthly calendars in the Valley during tenure of previous Governments.
“What will happen in Kashmir on Sunday or Monday and the months of January, February etc was decided by the terrorists, separatists and India’s enemy neighbour (Pakistan). And this drama continued as soldiers attained martyrdom. The tricolor was burnt, it was crushed under feet. Should we have allowed this to continue? Was Kashmir important or the post of Prime Minister? Every Indian will answer to this that post of the Prime Minister comes and goes but Kashmir should survive,” Modi said targeting the previous Congress Governments on last day of election campaign in Haryana.
Click here to watch video
“Now they won’t finalize the calendars. The enemy nation won’t decide what will happen in Kashmir. Now, India will finalize dates and policies for Kashmir…the people of Kashmir will decide their policies…those sitting in the enemy country can’t decide India’s fate. Gone are those days. The nation has changed,” the Prime Minister declared and charged that policies of the Congress had spoiled Kashmir.
Modi said the Congress continued to take one after the other decision which worsened situation in the Kashmir valley.
“Initially, they (the Congress) allowed Pakistan to take our land and Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) was formed. Then with a well-planned strategy, Sufi tradition, for which Kashmir was known, was cleverly finished and Sufi ideology buried. Very roots of Kashmir were shaken as the Sufi tradition used to give message of unity and brotherhood. This followed the policy of massive discrimination and injustice with Jammu, Ladakh and Kargil. Lines of discrimination were drawn. Then again over four lakh Kashmiri Pandit families were forced to flee with their daughters raped. This followed the culture, of “bomb, bandook and pistols’ with militants sent from Pakistan on the name of separatism,” the Prime Minister said.
He charged that the then Governments in New Delhi took no steps to control the situation but only paid focus towards one or two families of Kashmir allowing them to loot and whatever they wanted.
“Kashmir was spoiled but New Delhi (then ruled by the Congress) went ahead with the same policy,” he lamented.
Referring to the word “temporary” used for Article 370 in the Constitution of India written by Baba Saheb Ambedkar, Modi said the temporary means 2 months, 2 years or 4 years but the Article continued for 70 years.
“For 70 years they allowed temporary provision in Kashmir to strengthen separatism. The `temporary psychology’ was allowed to become permanent. I ended this temporary arrangement as you made me permanent Prime Minister for next five years,” he said while addressing the crowd.
The Prime Minister said our jawans continued to sacrifice their lives for the nation in Kashmir but our sisters, Dalits, downtrodden, Adivasis, Gujjar and Bakerwals, Paharis etc were deprived of their Constitutional rights for 70 years under the garb of Article 370.
“It was the BJP Government which freed people from the clutches of injustice and took steps for their welfare,” he asserted.
“We are now producing bulletproof jackets and also been exporting them to other countries,” Modi said, adding that the Congress Government used to shiver at threats by terrorists and separatists.
“You tell me. Do you find India strong now? Terrorists are being killed in their den. Today, those who shelter terrorists are crying across the world. Those who used to scare us are now looking terrified,” Modi said.
He accused the Congress leaders of failing to abrogate Article 370 despite having promised it in Parliament in 1964.
“During a debate in Parliament in 1964, the country’s distinguished leader got upset. There was division in the Congress. There was a demand that Article 370 be nullified and there be a debate on this issue in Parliament,” he recalled.
“At that time, Congress leaders, with folded hands, had said that their demand would be met and Article 370 would be nullified in one year. But the matter was again put on the back burner,” said Modi.
“What was the compulsion and what game was being played,”? he asked.
Modi also attacked the opposition party, claiming that it did not build any memorial for jawans and policemen who sacrificed their lives for the nation for 70 years.
Only the BJP Government built such memorials for them, the PM said.
He said it was the BJP Government which abrogated provisions of the Article 370 while the Congress was only concerned about taking care of “two families” in Kashmir.
“They did not allow nurturing of any political party there,” he alleged, claiming that the Congress and its supporters were only concerned about their “chairs”, not about Kashmir.
“The limits were crossed when they opposed this move (abrogation of Article 370) in overseas countries like those who were behind spreading terrorism,” he alleged.
Modi said the BJP Government had strengthened the armed forces by bringing in modernized weapons, Rafale jets and bulletproof jackets for soldiers.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
