‘Separatists ruined State, more tough action likely’
Excelsior Correspondent
BHADERWAH/SUCHETGARH/MARH, Apr 8: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh today declared that there will be no option with the Government other than abolishing Articles 370 and 35A related to special status to Jammu and Kashmir in the Constitution if there is a demand for a separate Prime Minister for the terrorism-affected State and called upon the Congress to clarify whether it supports the National Conference demand as the two parties are contesting the Lok Sabha elections in alliance with each other.
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Rajnath declared that a befitting reply will be given to those taking up arms as the country was now in strong hands of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and charged the separatists with ruining the State, hinting at more tough action against them.
Rajnath’s reaction came a week after National Conference leader Omar Abdullah had said that his party will strive hard for restoring the autonomy of Jammu and Kashmir that could include having a ‘Sadr-e-Riyasat’ (President) and ‘Wazir-e-Aazam’ (Prime Minister).
Addressing BJP election rallies at Bhaderwah in Udhampur Parliamentary seat and Suchetgarh and Marh in Jammu Lok Sabha constituency today, Rajnath asked the Congress to clarify its stand whether or not it supports the demand and said “such things” must be stopped.
“Someone who has been Chief Minister for a long time has said that there should be a Prime Minister in Jammu and Kashmir. If someone talks like that, we will have no option other than abolishing Article 370 and Article 35A,” the Home Minister said.
Singh said Congress must make it clear whether it accepts that the country should have two Prime Ministers.
“Such things cannot go on and on. It has to be stopped,” he said
On terrorism, the Home Minister said a befitting reply would be given to those who take up arms. “If someone takes up arms, we can go to whatever extent required to give them a befitting reply,” Singh said.
He said the country is now in the “strong hands” of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Singh said considering the future of the children of Jammu and Kashmir, “we have forgiven 8,000 first time stone pelters but some people continue to instigate the stone pelters”.
“These are the biggest criminals,” he said.
The Home Minister said Jammu and Kashmir has not been ruled by “outsiders” but by political parties like NC, PDP or Congress for long.
Singh also highlighted the development works undertaken by the NDA Government in Jammu and Kashmir.
“We have given highest assistance to Jammu and Kashmir,” he said. Singh called upon the people of Udhampur-Doda and Jammu-Poonch constituencies to make Dr Jitendra Singh and Jugal Kishore Sharma, the BJP candidates, who are seeking mandate for second consecutive term, victorious with big margin.
Without naming National Conference and PDP, Rajnath said some leaders are misleading the public of Jammu and Kashmir on different issues but the BJP Government would not allow such thing to continue.
He also referred to the IAF strike inside Pakistan on February 26 and said the bombing mission was carried out to wipe out the terrorist training camp without attacking Pakistan army or hurting any citizen of the neighbouring country, guided by the spirit of former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, who used to say that friends can be changed but not neighbours.
Asserting that the Centre would continue “zero tolerance” towards terrorism, Singh said it would not allow anyone to play with the future of the youth of Jammu and Kashmir and would not forgive such people.
“We will continue to adopt zero tolerance against terrorism and extremism and secure India will lead to more determined India. For us, national always comes first,” the Home Minister said. Without naming National Conference and PDP, Rajnath took a dig at them asking: “What type of Governments they were running in the State which has become a den of corruption”?
He pointed out that the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) was set up for first time in Jammu and Kashmir under the Governor’s rule.
He referred to the traffic restriction on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway twice a week to facilitate smooth movement of traffic saying “keeping in view the security of our forces and nation, we won’t succumb to any pressure and will not roll back the decision.
Rajnath said tough action was taken against the separatists after they failed to respond to the olive branch extended by the Centre to them over the past four years.
“There is a talk that Prime Minister Narendra Modi led government is taking stern action against separatists in Kashmir. We have banned some organizations, and I want to say that if there is a need, more strict action will be taken against them,” Singh said.
He said the Centre tried to reach out to the separatists and invited them for talks but they paid no heed.
“Over the past four years, we repeatedly offered the olive branch and invited them for talks but nobody turned up and instead efforts continued to strengthen the separatism in the Valley,” he said adding “we banned some organizations as they left us with no option but to go tough against them”.
The centre recently banned Jamaat-e-Islami and Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) in the Valley.
“They (separatists) ruined the State and are giving money to minor boys, aged between 10 and 16 years, for indulging in stone-pelting at the behest of Pakistan and creating passions for separatism.
“We went too far and ordered revoking of cases against these boys to save their future but it too had no impact on the separatists who continued with their disruptive activities,” he said.
The Home Minister said advisory was given to all States to ensure respect and protection to Kashmiri students perusing their studies outside the Valley.
“Even BJP workers were directed to stand with the Kashmiri students in case they face any problem anywhere in the country,” Singh said.
Attacking Congress for denying credit to Modi for the surgical strikes against terrorists inside Pakistan, he asked why not he be given credit for the action.
“Our opponents say why Modi should be given credit for the actions of our brave security forces against terrorists inside Pakistan.
“Modi had never sought credit but I want to ask the Congress people when Indira Gandhi divided Pakistan into two, leading to the creation of Bangladesh, our senior leader and former PM A B Vajpayee praised her and she was given full credit for it,” he said.
“There are some people who are creating new problems to confuse the people and speak against the Government. The youth of the State are good but what is happening in the state…What type of activities they are carrying out,” he said and called upon the political parties to sop misleading the youth.
He said nobody is thinking about the future of youth as those who are becoming ‘Messiah’ of Jammu and Kashmir are only looking for their political interests at the cost of youth.
Rajnath said these political parties have no answers and are misleading people of the State by raking up different issues.
“They can confuse anyone but I, as Home Minister of the country, have taken a pledge that we will not allow it to continue like that. Let us see what happens,” he said.
Seeking votes for the BJP candidates, he said “you are peace loving people and we will walk with you shoulder-to-shoulder and stand with you with might. We will not allow anyone to play with the future of the youth of Jammu and Kashmir and will not forgive them.”
Rajnath said BJP does not believe in politics based on caste, creed, religion and sect unlike these leaders and practice only the “politics of justice and humanity”.
The Home Minister said the BJP will never compromise on national issues and added: “Unless we do not guarantee both internal and external security, neither Jammu and Kashmir nor India will become prosperous”.
He said: “Some leaders are trying to gain sympathy of a particular section by raising doubts on air strikes carried by our brave soldiers across the border. But they are living in fool’s paradise as people are intelligent enough to understand their motive behind all this nonsense”. The reference was toward National Conference and Congress, which had cast doubts over the air strikes and number of militants killed in the attack.
Declaring that the BJP will make Jammu and Kashmir a developed State, Rajnath blamed previous Government for less development and mentioned that development has got a major boost during the Governor’s rule. He said nearly 50 degree colleges have been approved in the State during Governor’s rule besides sanction of 3 percent reservations for Paharis and people living on the International Border, which was a long pending demand of the people of the State.
“It was the BJP Government, which gave one-time settlement to West Pakistan, PoJK, 1965 and 1971 refugees and migrants,” he said and listed number of projects sanctioned for Jammu and Kashmir by the Centre including AIIMS, IIT, IIM, 5 Medical Colleges, National Highways etc.
On February 26 airstrike inside Pakistan, the Home Minister said the IAF went there to destroy the terrorist training camp only and did not attack Pakistan Army or hurt any Pakistani citizen.
“What happened in Pulwama on February 14 when a suicide bomber attacked a CRPF convoy martyring 44 CRPF personnel? They were here to safeguard the people of the State after leaving their homes.
He also talked about the successful ‘Mission Shakti’ and said though the scientists of the country had developed the technology in 2007 but then Prime Minister had stopped them from conducting the mission so that America, Russia and China do not get annoyed.
“When our scientists informed Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he gave them the positive signal, bringing the country in the elite group of few nations possessing the technology to safeguarding space assets,” he said.
Rajnath was also all praise for BJP candidate of Jammu-Poonch seat, Jugal Kishore Sharma.
Rajnath listed a number of development works done by Dr Jitendra Singh and Jugal Kishore and called upon the people to make them victorious again with thumping margin to ensure more development and progress of Jammu region.
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