Srinagar: The Union Minister for Home and Cooperation Amit Shah, today snubbed former Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah for the latter’s advise that the Government of India should talk to Pakistan on the issue of Kashmir, and said he wants to tell “Farooq sahib… that if I want to talk, then I will talk to my brothers and sisters and the youth of the Valley”.
Appealing to the youth of Kashmir to shun violence, he asked, “what good did those who placed stones and weapons in your hands do?” He added: “They talk about Pakistan. Pak Occupied Kashmir is nearby, ask whether villages there have electricity, hospitals, medical colleges, drinking water, toilets for women. There is nothing there and these people talk about Pakistan. I have come to tell you that you have as much right in India as any citizen of India. You have as much right to development and the treasury of the Government of India as every citizen of India has. The people of Kashmir have to take this process forward with determination.”
Coming down heavily on the erstwhile ruling elites of Kashmir on the third day of his visit to Jammu and Kashmir where he inaugurated and laid foundation stones of various development projects in Srinagar today, Shah said the three families that ruled for 70 years never condemned terrorism and terror while 40,000 people were killed in the Valley. “They say it is not good if someone is killed, but they do not condemn the one who killed. I have come here to make it clear to you that we will not allow them to be killed, we will not allow them to disturb peace and peace and harmony will prevail here,” Shah said.
Claiming that it is now only, after 70 years, that gas cylinders are reaching every women’s house in the valley, and electricity is reaching every house in Jammu and Kashmir, Shah asked, “Why did not all this happen in 70 years, who had stopped it from being done?” Making a dig at Abdullah, he quipped, “But how could that have been done, as they used to go to England for 6 months in a year. I hope that the next Chief Minister of Kashmir shall also be one who does not go to London, but instead visits Anantnag in Kashmir and listens to the voice of the people of Kashmir.”
Shah said the Kashmiris should get rid of fear from their hearts, as no one can disturb the peace and development journey of Kashmir and they can trust the Government of India. “The intention and motive of those who disturb this journey of development is not clear…They mislead the youth of Kashmir and today I want to answer all of them and say that the people of Kashmir have as much right over the country as I do,” he said. He assured that “a new era of development has begun in Jammu and Kashmir, especially in the Valley and by the year 2024 beautiful results will be seen”. He pointed out that from March 2020 to March 2021, 1,31,000 tourists from India and abroad visited Jammu and Kashmir, which is the highest figure since Independence.
The Union Home Minister said that many people raised questions that after the abrogation of Article 370, the land of Kashmiris in the Valley will be snatched. “You ask in your village how much land has been lost in two years. These people spread lies, it is not true. If you visit your village, then tell me that the land has not been taken away in my village. These people want to keep development divided, they want to save their power, they want to continue corruption that they have been indulging in for the past 70 years,” he said.
Shah mentioned that the Lieutenant Governor had thus far given jobs to more than 20,000 people, and claimed that neither a single recommendation was made nor a single person had to pay money. “The era of giving jobs to people close to you is now over. Those who have talent, who have ability, who want to devote their youth for the development of Kashmir, are getting jobs. It is causing pain to them that people are getting jobs without their recommendation, and they are wondering how is this happening. I want to say that this will happen now and now the corrupt practices of these three families will not work,” he said.
Amit Shah also announced many schemes for Jammu and Kashmir. He said the work of a 500 bedded hospital in Srinagar at a cost of Rs. 115 crore was completed, and today the foundation stone of Handwara Medical College was also being laid from here. Mentioning that roads worth Rs. 2,000 crore were built last year, he announced starting work of constructing roads worth Rs. 4,000 crore. He said that a rolling trophy for cricket, football and basketball has been started, for which the Lt. Governor had already given Rs. 15 crore.He further said that people from the hills who never received the benefit of reservation, will now start getting it. He also said that out of 55,000, more than 20,000 people in Jammu and Kashmir had now got houses, and before December 2022 no one will be homeless and everyone will have their own house. He further said that the work of providing tap water has been completed in two districts of the Valley and will be completed in 11 other districts by December this year. By December 2022, the work of providing tap water to every household in Kashmir will be completed.
Shah further announced upgradation of 75 Sufi religious places including temples, gurudwaras and Muslim religious at government expense “to restore the Ganga-Jamuni culture here”.
Accusing the ruling elites of J&K of stalling democracy for 70 years, he said, “The youth and women of Kashmir for 70 years did not have the right to become Panch, Sarpanch, and to contest elections in Taluka Panchayats and Zila Panchayats… These people were ruling for 70 years stalling democracy…Narendra Modi took democracy to the villages and homes. Everyone has cast their votes fearlessly, up to 98 percent voting took place and people are doing their work today…Today 30,000 people have become elected representatives of the people of Kashmir through the democratic process. I want to tell the youth of Kashmir that they should join the democratic process and carry forward this process which has been stalled for years. You can also become an MLA, a member of the Lok Sabha, a minister in the Government of India and the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir and no one can stop you,” he said.
He claimed that during the rule of three families in 70 years, a total investment of Rs. 12,000 to 15,000 crore had come, and after the present dispensation at the Centre brought a new industrial policy for Jammu and Kashmir,in just 6 months since this policy was launched, the investment figure had crossed Rs. 12,000 crores. “By 2022, an investment of more than Rs. 50,000 crore will come into Jammu and Kashmir and 5 lakh children will receive employment,” he claimed.
He said that Pulwama was earlier dominated by terrorists and now AIIMS is being built in Pulwama at a cost of Rs. 2,000 crore. He said earlier colleges were closed for the youth, there was stone pelting, today IITs, NIFT etc. are coming up at a cost of about Rs. 900 crore. Along with this, two AIIMS and a medical college have also come here, he said.
– global bihari bureau
