Jammu: Almost a fortnight after the National Conference (NC) released its manifesto, Union Home Minister Amit Shah released the BJP’s manifesto for the forthcoming assembly elections on September 6. The manifesto broadly outlines the party’s vision and goals for Jammu & Kashmir which had a separate Constitution till five years ago.
At the outset, Shah made it clear that Article 370 was a part of the history now and nobody was in a position to restore it. He was answering questions regarding NC declaring in its manifesto that it will try to bring back Article 370. Mocking at this point, Shah said no other party will support the NC in its endeavour at any level and at any point.
He said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi should make his party’s stance clear on the issue as it has entered into a coalition with the NC. “Does the Congress support bringing back Article 370? Does it support bringing back state flag (of J&K) which created a situation of `Do Nishan, Do Pradhan?’ The Congress should clarify on these points and not mislead the electorate,’’ Shah said.
Shah said earlier there was a trend that students from J&K went to other states to get education. In the last 10 years, this trend has been reversed and now students from all over India come to J&K to get education. This has become possible because the BJP government at the Centre has remained focussed on the education of the youth, he said.
In reply to a question, Shah reminded Rahul Gandhi that his great grandfather Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru had kept Omar Abdullah’s grandfather Sheikh Abdullah in jail for 11 years. Rahul should ask those around him why that step was taken and educate himself about facts pertaining to NC’s past history.
Rahul Gandhi is maintaining a pregnant silence on contentious issues in the NC manifesto to mislead the electorate. This ambivalence and silence will not be of any help as the NC, the Congress and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) will be soundly defeated in the coming polls, according to our assessments, Shah said. The electorate in J&K has made up its mind about voting for the BJP and ending era of terrorism, Shah asserted.
On being asked about PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti’s demand for restoring Cross Border Trade with Pakistan and starting a dialogue with our western neighbour, Shah categorically ruled out the possibilities. He said that trade and terror, and terror and talks cannot be carried on simultaneously. He said the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi was ready to hold talks with the youth of Kashmir but not with Pakistan.
Shah said that at least 1,000 temples which had been razed by terrorists all over J&K were in the process of being restored. Many of these have already been restored and there will be regular daily prayers organised in these soon. Besides, many Kashmiri Hindus were forced to sell their properties at throwaway prices during the heyday of terrorism. Many of these properties have been taken back by the original owners, he said. A process was on to get the owners right prices for properties sold in distress or some other remedial measures will be taken.
He said that a new scheme named Tikalal Thaploo rehabilitation scheme for Kashmiri Hindus will help the rehabilitation of those people who had become victims of terrorism. The Modi government was committed to ending terror and establishing peace for all times to come in J&K, he asserted.
Shah said the farmers were getting Rs 6,000 per annum as part of a Central scheme. In J&K, they will get Rs 10,000 (Rs 6,000 + Rs 4,000) henceforth if his party came to power in the Union Territory (UT). The widow pension and some other pensions which were Rs 1,000 a month now will be enhanced to Rs 3,000 a month by his party’s government.
To a question on restoration of statehood for J&K, he said the NC and Congress are trying to mislead the people of the UT. Shah pointed out that he has already stated on the floor of Parliament that statehood will be restored to J&K at an appropriate time soon after holding of assembly elections. What is the point of Rahul Gandhi and Omar Abdullah demanding something (statehood for J&K) as this has already been declared that this will be done? He asked.
Earlier in the day, Shah was welcomed in Jammu by senior BJP leaders, including two Union ministers G Kishan Reddy and Jitendra Singh. Shah’s visit is seen as a crucial moment for the BJP and will give a fillip to its campaigning. He is in Jammu on a two-day visit and address a public rally on Saturday in Paloura area.
On Friday evening, he will meet many party leaders as also aspirants for tickets and hear them. He will also devise a strategy for the campaigning in consultation with senior party leaders.
