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The BJP believes in winning hearts which will ultimately lead to the lotus, the BJP’s poll symbol, blooming across the Kashmir Valley, Union home minister Amit Shah said on Tuesday, rejecting the rival parties’ charge that the saffron party was interested in the land of Kashmir than the welfare of its people.
Reaching out to youngsters of Kashmir, Shah said: “I want to clear the misgivings being created among Kashmiri youths that the BJP wants to take the land of Kashmir by force. The BJP is not among those who occupy land by force but believes in winning the hearts of people.”
He was addressing an election rally in Jammu in support of BJP candidate Jugal Kishore, who is seeking re-election for his third term from the parliamentary constituency.
Shah said the BJP is in no hurry as it knows that the lotus will bloom on its own in the Valley with the love of people.
Takes on NC, PDP, Congress
He slammed the Congress, the National Conference and the Peoples Democratic Party for being responsible for fake encounters and incidents of firing on youngsters in the Valley. “But the BJP, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, restored peace and ensured development after the abrogation of Article 370 by putting an end to terrorism, stone-pelting and Pakistan-sponsored strikes,” he said.
Shah appealed to the people of Kashmir not to vote for the three dynastic parties “because they watch the interests of their own flesh and blood and not the public. Farooq Sahib, Mehbooba ji and Sonia Gandhi… they work for their sons and daughters, not for the people. These parties did not allow democracy to grow in Jammu and Kashmir… on the pretext of security, our Kashmiri youths were exploited. I want to ask (National Conference president) Farooq Abdullah and the PDP under whose rule did most of the fake encounters take place? Who fired on the children of Kashmir, handed over guns to them? These three parties are responsible. Modiji restored peace in Jammu and Kashmir and paved the way for the region’s development. J&K had slipped into backwardness due to terrorism and agitations for 70 years. Modiji facilitated the end of terrorism, stone-pelting, and separatism.”
The BJP has not fielded any candidate from Anantnag-Rajouri, Srinagar and Baramulla Lok Sabha constituencies and has focused its campaign on Udhampur and Jammu Lok Sabha constituencies that would go to polls on April 19 and April 26, respectively.
Reminds Mehbooba Tricolour immortal
“Earlier, the NC and PDP used to eat away the entire budget but our LG ensured proper utilisation of every penny. We wiped out corruption, ended terrorism, ensured transparency in jobs and those found involved in terrorism were sacked. Now, none can raise slogans of Pakistan and only patriotic slogans are heard in J&K. All this has happened because of PM Modi,” he said.
Shah described the revocation of Article 370 as a path-breaking moment in the history of J&K that ended discrimination with marginalised communities and women.
“Mehbooba (Mufti) ji had said none would be left to give shoulder to the Tricolour if Article 370 was removed. Mehbooba ji, me and you would go away (leave this world) but the Tricolour is immortal. It will stay forever. Article 370 has gone away, while the Tricolour is fluttering with pride… none have the guts to touch it,” he said.
In this context, he also took on Farooq Abdullah. “Farooq Sahib used to say said that even if Modi ji becomes PM for 10 times, he can’t abrogate Article 370. Farooq Sahib, leave aside 10 times…in the second tenure of PM Modi, Article 370 is done and dusted with,” he said.
Shah said that post abrogation of Article 370, women had got rights to parental property and SCs, STs and OBCs got reservation.
Assures of assembly poll before September 30
Shah also recalled how the NC and the PDP did not declare a public holiday on the birth anniversary of the last Dogra king, Maharaja Hari Singh.
“These two parties insulted Dogras and Dogri by not granting a public holiday on Maharaja Hari Singh’s birth anniversary. They never honoured him. It was the BJP that announced a public holiday. While former PM AB Vajpayee ji included Dogri language in the 8th schedule, Modi ji made it one of the official languages of J&K,” he said.
He said that the long-awaited assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir shall be held as per the Supreme Court directions and none should harbour any doubts.
In December last year, a constitution bench of the Supreme Court had ordered the Election Commission to conduct elections to the Jammu and Kashmir assembly before September 30 this year.
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