Kashmir’s progress will end terrorism: Piyush Goyal
Srinagar, Jul 6: Union Minister for Commerce and Industries, Piyush Goyal on Saturday said that Kashmir’s progress would end terrorism in the region.
Addressing a news conference at the Sher-e-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC), Goyal said that terrorism in J&K would be eradicated with the active support of the people and demanded that Pakistan hand over terrorists operating from its soil to India without delay.
“Just as we have made strong strides to end Naxalism by 2026, we will uproot terrorism from Kashmir as well. But this fight will be won with the cooperation and resolve of the people of Kashmir,” he said.
Taking a tough line on cross-border terrorism, Goyal said Pakistan must stop shielding terrorists and hand them over to Indian authorities.
“The terrorists sitting across the border who are being sheltered and supported must be handed over to the Indian government. There is no room for doublespeak anymore. Words must be matched with concrete action,” he said. “When Pakistan truly stops protecting terrorists and enables their prosecution, only then can we believe that it is serious. Until then, we will continue to take strong steps to protect our citizens and sovereignty.”
Goyal was in Srinagar to meet with stakeholders from the business and industrial sectors, as part of the Centre’s outreach and investment push in J&K.
He said that terrorism was not just a threat to lives but a direct attack on the economy.
“The recent terror strike on tourists in Pahalgam was not only an attack on innocent people. It was an attack on the economic future of Kashmir. These terrorists want to derail the region’s progress, but they will not succeed. Kashmir will move forward, and we will defeat every attempt to hold it back,” Goyal said.
He expressed confidence in the people of Kashmir, calling them partners in the fight against terrorism.
“During Operation Sindoor, we saw that the people of Kashmir stood with us. Unity is our greatest strength,” Goyal said. On the economic front, he outlined the Centre’s efforts to transform J&K’s industrial landscape.
“We have rolled out a Rs 28,000 crore industrial incentive scheme to support growth in tourism, healthcare, manufacturing, and food processing. Hundreds of new units are coming up. The governments in Delhi and J&K are working shoulder to shoulder to make this a success,” Goyal said.
He said that the government was committed to making “local products go global” and said the slogan ‘Vocal for Local’ was being translated into action through support for Kashmiri entrepreneurs and exporters.
Paying tributes to the Dalai Lama on his 90th birthday and to Shyama Prasad Mukherjee on his birth anniversary, Goyal linked the present era of development in J&K to the vision and sacrifices of national leaders.
“Mukherjee laid down his life to make Kashmir an inseparable part of India. His dream was fulfilled on August 5, 2019, with the abrogation of Article 370. Today, every Indian law applies here, and people have been empowered like never before,” he said. Goyal said that the days of terror were numbered.
“There is no future for terrorism in Kashmir. With the unwavering support of its people, we will eliminate it and ensure lasting peace and prosperity for the region,” he said.
