- ‘Mukherjee’s soul in peace after 370 abrogation’
- Rs 12 lakh cr scam in UPA Govt, Oppn meet only photo-session
- New J&K is in making, noose against terror tightened
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, June 23: Union Home Minister Amit Shah today launched direct attack on former Chief Ministers Dr Farooq Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti asking them who is responsible for the death of 42,000 people in Jammu and Kashmir as their parties (National Conference and People’s Democratic Party) were in power in the erstwhile State. He charged Congress-led UPA Government at the Centre for being involved in scams running into Rs 12 lakh crore.
Shah was speaking at a massive rally at JDA Ground in Bhagwati Nagar area of the City as a part of month-long celebrations on the completion of nine years of Narendra Modi Government.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Union Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) Dr Jitendra Singh and BJP UT chief Ravinder Raina were prominent among those present at the rally.
There were chants of ‘Modi Modi’ from the huge crowd as Shah declared that the BJP will again cross the tally of 300 seats in next year’s Lok Sabha elections as he dubbed as `photo-session” an Opposition meeting held today at Patna in Bihar organized by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
“Will you make Modi once again the Prime Minister to ensure that Jammu Kashmir flourishes and becomes the safest place?” he asked the gathering which responded by chanting “Modi, Modi”.
The Home Minister’s rally coincided with martyrdom day of Bharatiya Jana Sangh (BJS) founder and BJP ideologue Shyama Prasad Mukherjee. He said Mukherjee’s soul will be resting in peace after abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution of India that granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir.
“I want to ask National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti that who is responsible for the death of 42,000 people in Jammu and Kashmir because their parties were in power in erstwhile State,” Shah said in a frontal attack on two parties.
“Three families ruled Jammu and Kashmir for decades together and there was no development due to Article 370. As many as 42,000 people died due to terrorism and they are saying we should have kept Article 370 safeguarded,” he said.
Shah said a new Jammu and Kashmir is in the making after the abrogation of the provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution in 2019, with a 70-per cent decline in terror acts and stone-pelting almost done away with.
“Under Modi, the noose around terrorism has been tightened,” he said, adding that under the Prime Minister’s leadership, Jammu and Kashmir has started its journey on the path of progress.
Shah said it was Shyama Prasad Mukherjee’s sacrifice, motivation and pledge that there is no Article 370 today in Jammu and Kashmir and the Union Territory has been completely integrated with the country.
“Mukherjee is also credited with connecting West Bengal with India. He resigned as a Minister (in 1953 from then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s cabinet) to launch his campaign for “ek desh mein do vidhan, do pradhan aur do nishan nahi chalenge” (there cannot be two sets of law, two chiefs and two symbols in a country) and reached Jammu and Kashmir,” he recalled.
Alleging that Mukherjee was killed in Jammu and Kashmir after his arrest for entering the region without a permit, Shah said his soul would be in peace after the abrogation of Article 370.
Referring to a terror incident and the subsequent reaction of Mehbooba Mufti, he said, “I want to tell Mufti and Abdullah that there has been a 70-per cent drop in terror activities during the nine years of the NDA rule (in Jammu and Kashmir), compared to the previous 10 years of the UPA government.
“Under the 10 years of the UPA Government, 7,327 terror incidents took place, whereas the number stands at 2,350 in nine years of the NDA Government.”
Shah said 2,056 civilians were killed in Jammu and Kashmir when the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) was in power at the Centre from 2004 to 2014, while the number stands at only 377 under the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Government.
The number of separatist-sponsored calls for strikes dropped to 32 after the abrogation of Article 370, while there has been a 90-per cent decline in stone-pelting incidents, he said, adding, “This shows that the situation in Jammu and Kashmir is improving and all sections of the society, including the deprived Gujjars and Paharis, are getting their rights and justice.”
“The tourist footfall in 2022 touched 1.88 crore, which is a record. During the rule of the three families, not even 50 per cent of such an arrival was recorded,” Shah said.
He said 28,000 youngsters have been given Government jobs in a transparent manner since 2014, while 51,000 have been provided with self-employment opportunities and 70,000 others linked to the “Mission Youth”.
An industrial package of Rs 28,400 crore has been given to Jammu and Kashmir by the BJP Government, the Home Minister said, adding that the youngsters who had stones in their hands earlier have now been equipped with laptops and they are re-writing their future as also taking care of the country’s future.
“The investment (in Jammu and Kashmir) is growing after the introduction of the industrial policy, the industrial land allotment policy, the private industrial estate development policy, the food processing, handicraft and handloom policy, the new film policy, the tourism home stay and sports policy,” he said.
Shah also talked about the successful conduct of the Panchayati Raj Institution polls and said 32,000 Panchs and Sarpanchs are taking Jammu and Kashmir forward on the path of progress.
The Home Minister inaugurated and laid the foundation stones of several projects prior to his address.
“Today, three projects worth Rs 84 crore — a Bone-and-Joint Hospital at Bakshi Nagar, a Grid Station and road widening from the Dogra Chowk to the K C Chowk — were completed, while foundations stones were laid for projects worth Rs 309 crore, including a Central Forensic Sciences Laboratory in Samba,” he said.
Shah said 97 lakh people have benefitted from the Ayushman Bharat Yojana or the National Health Protection Scheme in Jammu and Kashmir, which is the only part of the country where all the citizens are entitled to its benefits.
The Jammu and Kashmir administration is spending an amount of Rs 2 crore on the scheme on a daily basis, which is meant for poor people in other parts of the country, he said.
Meanwhile, Shah laid the foundation stone of a Central Forensic Science Laboratory in Samba and inaugurated several development projects in Jammu.
Shah highlighted the progress being made in Jammu and Kashmir under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He listed various projects being implemented in the region.
These include the FSL in Samba having a budget of Rs 100 crore, 41 Water Supply Schemes under the Jal Jeevan Mission in Ramban and Kishtwar with a combined cost of Rs 157.47 crore, a multi-storey parking facility at the Doda bus stand at a cost of Rs 32.46 crore, a Bone and Joint hospital in Bakshi Nagar (Rs 40.86 crore), a Grid Station (Rs 17.77 crore), and the up gradation of the road from Dogra Chowk to KC Chowk with an investment of Rs 25 crore.
Shah also released a book highlighting the achievement of the Government in Jammu and Kashmir. “Jammu and Kashmir, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is progressing on the path of development, and a new Jammu and Kashmir is taking shape,” he said.
Shah appreciated the initiatives to promote industrial growth and tourism in Jammu and Kashmir through policies on industries, films, home stays and houseboats.
These efforts have resulted in increased investments in the region, accompanied by a continuous rise in tourist footfalls, he said.
He announced the successful distribution of “Golden Health” cards which are benefiting approximately 97 lakh people.
In the past nine years, nine new Medical Colleges and 15 Nursing Colleges have been established, significantly expanding medical education, he said.
Additionally, the number of degree colleges and engineering colleges has risen from 96 to 147, with the inclusion of an IIT and an IIM in Jammu.
Meanwhile, Shah dubbed as a “photo session” the meeting of opposition leaders in Patna, and said their unity is nearly impossible and they will face drubbing in the next Lok Sabha polls.
He also slammed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, saying he has the habit of criticising everything.
Referring to the opposition meet underway in Bihar’s capital, Shah said, “A photo session is happening in Patna. All the opposition leaders have come together on a single platform to convey a message that they will challenge BJP, NDA and Modi (in 2024).
“All I want to say to these opposition leaders is that your unity is nearly impossible and even if it gets real, please come in front of the people as in 2024, Modi’s return with 300 plus seats is confirmed,” he said.
Asserting that Narendra Modi Government has laid a strong foundation for eradication of corruption from the country, Shah alleged that the previous Congress-led UPA Government was involved in scams worth Rs 12 lakh crore.
“(Narendra) Modi replaced the UPA Government, which was involved in scams worth Rs 12 lakh crore. The Prime Minister has laid a strong foundation for a corruption-free India,” he said. Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s US visit, Shah said, “A lot of agreements are taking place especially in the field of space, defence and semiconductors. The world’s biggest companies are now interested in investing in India under the leadership of the Prime Minister”.
In a period of nine years, Modi has made India the world’s fifth largest economy which was earlier placed at the 11th place, he asserted.
Lashing out at Rahul Gandhi, he said, “Rahul baba has a habit of criticising, be it abrogation of Article 370, foundation of Ram temple or ban on triple talaq.”
Gandhi, he said, “will be pitching against Modi for the post of Prime Minister in 2024 but the people know whom to choose”.
Union Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) Dr Jitendra Singh, in his address to the rally, said Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, whose martyrdom day falls today, was arrested at Lakhanpur and was taken to Srinagar which turned out to be his last yatra.
However, under the guidance and leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah abrogated Article 370 of the Constitution of India, thus, fulfilling the dream of Mukherjee, he said.
“Today, Jammu and Kashmir has been marching on the path of development along with the country. Kashmiri youth also want to become part of Modi’s development journey,” Dr Jitendra Singh said.
Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ongoing visit to the United States, the Union MoS in PMO said many leaders have visited America but such an unprecedented welcome hasn’t been witnessed to any of the leaders.
“Modi has today become world leader and the world is looking at him,” Dr Jitendra Singh said.
He also referred to cooperation between India and United States for manned mission to Moon in future.
HM hails LG, security forces for G20 success
Union Home Minister Amit Shah today lauded Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and security forces for successful conduct of a G20 meeting in Srinagar last month.
Addressing the rally at Bhagwati Nagar, Shah said that some political parties joined Pakistan in opposing the event.
He added that the G20 event has proved to be beneficial in conveying the message that the situation has improved in Jammu and Kashmir.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
