NC, Congress promoted terrorism, responsible for 40,000 deaths: Amit Shah

Jammu, Sep 21: Union Minister of Home and Cooperation Amit Shah Friday said that the National Conference (NC) and Congress had promoted terrorism and were responsible for the deaths of 40,000 people in Jammu and Kashmir and 3000 days of Kashmir shutdown.

He addressed rallies at Mendhar, Surankote, Thanamandi, Rajouri, and Akhnoor during his visit to the Jammu region.

Speaking at a rally in Mendhar, Shah said that talking to the Gujjar, Bakerwal, and Pahari crowd was a very fortunate moment for him.

“Since 1947, the Gujjars, Bakerwals, and Paharis in J&K have contributed immensely to the nation's security. In all the battles against Pakistan after 1947, they saved the nation like soldiers. When in the 90s terror ripped through J&K, these people braved the bullets of terrorists,” he said. “I want to tell you today that the entire nation is proud of you, and the nation honours you.”

Speaking about the BJP candidate in Mendhar, the Home Minister said that Murtaza Khan never reached out to him for personal needs but for the needs of the people of his constituency.

“He has always tried to resolve the issues faced by the Pahari, Bakerwal, and Gujjar communities in the region. The best way to associate oneself with Narendra Modi and the BJP is through Murtaza Khan,” he said.

Shah said this election was about ending the rule of three dynastic parties – the Abdullah family, the Mufti family, and the Nehru-Gandhi families.

“These three families obstructed democracy here. Had Narendra Modi not won the 2014 Lok Sabha election, would the panchayat, block, and district elections have been held? Today we have with us the elected members of the blocks and panchayats. They would have been busy maintaining the empire of the three families. PM Modi, the BJP, and people like Murtaza Khan have struggled to enshrine democracy in Kashmir, and as a result, 30,000 youth are today enjoying the fruit of democracy as the elected members,” he said.

The Home Minister said that now the three dynastic parties were saying that they would review the decision to proliferate democracy in J&K.

“They had spread terror in J&K since the 1990s until 2014. As a result, 40,000 youth were killed. Many ruined their lives by taking up stones or guns. But these three families did nothing to stop terrorism. But the Narendra Modi government worked towards ending terror and gave laptops to youth. PM Modi has eradicated terrorism from J&K and has replaced stones in the hands of the youth with laptops,” he said.

Shah said, “Omar Abdullah comes and terrorises people by saying that terrorism will enter J&K again. But I want to tell him that Modi is the PM and I am the Home Minister and we will never let terrorism enter again. Where was Farooq Abdullah when terrorism was ripping Kashmir apart? He was enjoying his holidays in London. Do you want a government like that?”

He said that the BJP government had made all efforts to enhance the facilities for the people, like giving health insurance up to Rs 5 lakh.

“They ruled for so long. Did they ever give such benefits? Now PM Modi has increased health insurance to Rs 10 lakh for families with an elderly member. Did they give 5 kg of food grains free of charge? Did they give drinking water connections? Where did all the money go? All the money was usurped by three families. PM Modi has also decided to connect villages with a population of even 50 people with concrete roads. The biggest benefit of this scheme will be availed by the people living in the hills of Jammu and Kashmir. PM Modi gave reservations to the Gurjjars, Bakerwals, and the Paharis.

When I tabled the bill, Farooq Abdullah opposed it. There was also a former judge who opposed it and started inciting the Gujjars. But we said that we would not reduce the reservations meant for the Gurjjars and gave reservations to the Paharis. The Narendra Modi government does what it says. But because of their opposition, we could not pass the bill for six months. Earlier, our Gujjar, Bakerwal, and Paharis sought small jobs. Now, since they have reservations, their children can become IAS and IPS and serve the nation.

They will also get seats in medical and engineering colleges and IIMs. These rights given to you by our constitution were obstructed by Farooq Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti. Now they want to review this decision. No power in this world can take away reservations from you all,” the Home Minister said. “In this winter season itself, we will open a winter camp collector office. Drinking water, hospitals, and schools will be within your reach. They say that they will end reservations, but we have said that we will give reservations even in promotions to Gujjars, Bakerwals, and Paharis so that they can become Chief Secretary and DGP.”

He said that a leader of the National Conference (NC) says that the flag of the NC is red because there is terrorism here.

“Tell me if terrorism can do any good to anyone. What do they want to achieve by giving guns to youths? Even we are ready to give guns to our youth but along with jobs as soldiers. We will set up special recruitment camps for our Pahari youths in J&K to give them jobs in the armed forces,” Shah said.

He said that the Modi government had buried terrorism so deep that even the next three generations of NC and Congress will not be able to bring it back.

“In Mendhar we have built a hospital and an OPD block. In the sub-district hospital here we have given facilities for surgery. In Dak Bungalow, we have built a conference hall. We have given solar streetlights in most areas of Mendhar. We will also build more bunkers to protect the people from firing and shelling. Earlier, there used to be immense firing and shelling here because the people who ruled here were afraid of Pakistan.

But now Pakistan fears Narendra Modi. They no longer dare to fire and shell because they know that they will get a befitting response,” the Home Minister said. “We have promised to give Rs 18,000 per year to the senior most woman in every family. PM Modi is giving Rs 6000 to every farmer. Form a BJP government here and we will make it Rs 10,000. We will reduce the electricity tariff for agricultural purposes and give free electricity up to 500 units. We will build metro lines in Jammu, build an international airport, develop the Tawi riverfront, and create tourist cities like Pahalgam in Poonch and Rajouri.

They deprived this area for 70 years. Today I want to tell you that if tourists from all around the world do not flock to the streets of Mendhar, Poonch, and Rajouri, then call me a liar,” he said. “We will give 20 percent reservations to the Agniveers, give 5 lakh government jobs, and give higher secondary students in the far-flung areas laptops and tablets. We will build Ayush Herbal Park in Kishtwar, an IT hub in Jammu, and a pharmaceutical hub in Udhampur. The poor will be given 5 marlas of land free, and SC and ST reservations will be extended to promotions.”

In Surankote, he said that if a BJP government is formed, then a training centre for IAS exams would be created in Poonch and Rajouri.

“The first phase of the election is over, and I can tell you from the data that Farooq Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti are not going to form the government. They kept our youth here, Majboor, but we want to make them Mazboot. We want to give them Adhikar instead of Andhkar. I want to tell NC and Congress that they are responsible for the deaths of 40,000 people because they promoted terrorism; they are responsible for Kashmir remaining under a strike for 3000 days. Never forget that PM Modi has a big heart. Therefore, Gujjars and Bakerwals need not worry. Their reservations will remain the same," Shah said.

He said that former home minister of India Sushil Shinde said that earlier he used to feel afraid of going to Lal Chowk.

“I appeal to him to come to Lal Chowk with his family. No one can cause any harm. That was during the Congress government, and now it is the Modi government. In 2023 alone, 2 crore tourists visited J&K. But if you add the number of tourists that came in all the terms that Farook Abdullah ruled, it will not be equal to 2 crore,” the Home Minister said.

“We have made life easier in the hills by extending the Jammu to Poonch National Highway 144-A. Roads are being strengthened in Surankote. The Surankote to Bafliaz highway will connect you all. We have built a degree college stadium here. A Lake Development Authority will be formed for the development of the Ranjeet Sagar Dam. We will reimburse coaching fees up to Rs 10,000 for two years," he said.

In Thanamandi, Shah said that Rahul Gandhi talks about ‘Mohabbat Ki Dukaan’, but issues the ‘terror farman’ by proposing talks with Pakistan.

“As long as Pakistan does not stop terrorism, there can be no talks,” he said.

In Rajouri, the Home Minister said that this was a historic election that was going to be held after giving reservations to the Gujjars, Bakerwals, Paharis, and Dalits.

He said that the Congress, NC, and PDP were responsible for the underdevelopment of Poonch and Rajouri.

"Only recently, the Pakistan Defence Minister said that they are with the Congress and NC on the agenda of restoring Article 370. Rahul Gandhi should be ashamed of this episode, but instead, he has come here asking for votes. I want to tell the Abdullah family that no matter what they do, Article 370 will never return. Like Article 370, terrorism too has been buried and can never return regardless of how much they try.

The NC candidates threaten people by saying that they will face consequences. But I ask the people not to be afraid because the people who are threatening will face consequences,” Shah said. “Let Omar Abdullah listen, the Modi government will not allow terrorism to enter these beautiful hills of J&K. Farooq Abdullah should account for the 35 years of spreading terrorism in J&K and placing weapons in the hands of the children here.”

He said that Pakistan, Congress, and the NC have the same agenda.

“Rahul Gandhi recently said in the US that they will remove reservations once their party is in power. But I want to tell him that his party has always been anti-reservation. As long as the BJP is there, no one can remove reservations,” the Home Minister said.

He said that the people in Poonch and Rajouri need not take their children to Jammu to show them trains because Poonch and Rajouri too will have train stations.

In Akhnoor, Shah said that the NC had announced that they would legitimise a separate flag for J&K, restore Article 370, start talks with Pakistan, start LoC trade, release people accused of terror and stone-pelting, and rename Shankaracharya as Takht-e-Sulaiman. Rahul Gandhi has to clarify whether he agrees with the NC’s agenda.

“Even if he does not clarify, I will make it clear that Article 370 will never return and there will be only one flag here, and that is our beloved Tiranga," he said.

The Home Minister said that Congress had even taken people who faced CBI raids and were accused of question paper leaks as its candidates.

“People have to decide about whom to vote for,” he said.

"We have built AIIMS here, built government medical colleges, cancer treatment institutions, eight new colleges, built 24 new buildings, and recognised 59 new colleges. We have approved hydropower projects worth Rs 59,000 crore. We will restore 100 temples every year that were lost to terrorism,” Shah said.

“The Congress never gave due respect to B R Ambedkar and never honoured him with Bharat Ratna. But the BJP developed five places associated with Ambedkar as Panchmahateerth,” he said.