Sanjeev Pargal
—Excelsior / Bhat
JAMMU, Dec 13: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today called upon the people of Jammu and Kashmir to teach a lesson to three political parties-Congress, National Conference and PDP-which have ruled the State for last 30 years but done nothing for welfare of the people and the State and instead brought only miseries and problems for them.
Describing Congress as “Guspaithia” (intruder), which entered the Government through backdoor with NC and PDP turn-by-turn and during elections start speaking against both the political parties, Modi called upon the people to punish these parties for their “sins and politics of deceit, dishonesty and injustice” and vote the BJP to power in the State with full majority for development, tapping tourism potential, doing justice to all, taking railway line to Rajouri and Poonch, opening up job opportunities including banned recruitment in Army and welfare of all the people.
He described the Congress, NC and PDP as “offenders” and called upon the people to teach them a lesson in the elections by voting the BJP Government to power with majority.
Addressing mammoth public rallies at Sports Stadium in Kathua and New Bus Stand, Rajouri, which broke all previous records in terms of crowd with people climbing to roofs, trees, hillocks and standing even on roads and vehicles as space for the rallies fell short, Modi thundered that the BJP would make Jammu and Kashmir a model State full of development and will do justice with all three regions. Describing Congress as “full of sins”, he called upon the people to wipe out the party completely so that it gets a lesson for doing nothing for the people of the State.
“You can well recognize these three political parties (Congress, NC and PDP). They have committed sins and sins. If you don’t punish them in the elections, they will commit more sins,” he said and called people to eliminate Congress from the political arena saying the party will otherwise stage a comeback through backdoor and commit more sins.
Modi said Congress “sneaks” into every Government that is formed in the state but attacks these dispensations just before elections. He said it was the time now to punish all three offenders (Congress, NC and PDP) in the elections and elect a full majority BJP Government and not “half hearted Government’”, which will not be able to do the justice.
“Even if a beloved child of the family does a bad act, he is punished by the family and not given sweets to eat. But you continued to give sweets to these parties for 30 years instead of punishing them for doing nothing for the State. They (the three political parties) have committed sins and indulged in acts of deceit and dishonesty. They will improve only if you punish them and this is the ripe time for their punishment,” the Prime Minister said getting spontaneous response from the crowd, which chanted `Modi-Modi’ and endorsed him repeatedly by raising their hands and cheering him.
“The BJP was not in power. It were the Congress, NC and PDP, which ruled the State for 30 years. Did they perform any welfare activity in the State? Did they develop the State? He asked drawing an instant reply of loud `No’ from the crowd. Modi said if they have done nothing then why did you vote for them. “Teach them a strong lesson by not electing even a single MLA of these parties. Give us a chance of running a Government and I promise that we will develop the State to the best of your expectations”.
“If you punish them once, they will realise their mistakes. Has BJP ever formed the Government in Jammu and Kashmir? Did we ever commit any mistake? Don’t you know who are the first, second and third offenders,” he asked the people who cheered back in response.
Hitting out at the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah led Government for failing to deliver at the time of floods in September this year, Modi said the Government had no reply to the queries of the Centre on damage caused by the floods. “Whether you will benefit from such a Government”? he asked the crowd, which replied with a loud ‘No’.
Projecting BJP as a fresh alternative to other parties which have ruled Jammu and Kashmir, Modi urged voters to dump the “three offenders”– National Conference, PDP and Congress–in the Assembly polls for a better life.
Blaming NC, PDP and Congress for the problems in the state, he asked people to punish previous Governments, accusing them of not working for their good and not even providing basic amenities like water, education, health, roads and power.
Attacking the National Conference and PDP for “dynastic politics and nepotism”, the Prime Minister asked the people: “are there no more sons and daughters in Jammu and Kashmir? Will only one father-son and father-daughter run the Governments here? Do you have to always remain in their tangle?”
“Don’t look at those ‘Baap-beta’ (father-son) and ‘Baap-beti’ (father-daughter) duos. Throw them out as it was time to think of the good of your own sons and daughters, and vote for development. Herein lies your benefit.”
Urging people to come out to vote despite the cold, he said, the whole world was watching with interest the Assembly elections because of the heavy turnout and congratulated the voters for it.
The Prime Minister said Jammu and Kashmir has the potential to energise the entire country through its hydropower potential.
He also praised the people in Rajouri and Kathua, saying they never flinched despite repeated firing from across the border and braved the bullets on their chests.
Modi said he had often visited the State right from the days when he was just an ordinary party worker, but he never witnessed such enthusiastic and big crowds.
Holding that dynastic politics and nepotism can never be the voice of democracy, Modi also compared the politics of Congress, NC and PDP with BJP, saying “see the power of BJP’s democracy that a tea-seller became the Prime Minister.”
Asserting that predictions of political pundits sitting in New Delhi and debating political results of Jammu and Kashmir would prove wrong, Modi declared that the BJP would form majority Government in Jammu and Kashmir and the huge crowds that has turned up in the rallies at Kathua and Rajouri was an evidence of that.
Touching the local issues, the Prime Minister wondered that there was still no railway line in Rajouri even after 67 years of independence. “I wonder what the previous Governments have done. They have just neglected the State,” he said and assured the people that the BJP will take it as a priority.
Charging the previous Governments with doing “injustice and discrimination” with some regions and areas, he declared that the BJP will undo the injustice meted out to some pockets in Jammu and Kashmir and do justice with all in consonance with party’s slogans of `Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikaas’.
Modi said successive State Governments in Jammu and Kashmir run by “dynasty-led parties” were responsible for the “miseries” being faced by the people of the State and that it was time to punish those responsible for the problems in the State.
He said there was vast potential of tapping tourism in many areas of the State not only in the Kashmir Valley but also in Poonch and Rajouri districts and other parts of Jammu and Kashmir, which would benefit from auto and taxi operators, to hotels and restaurants but there was no will in the Government to do that.
“Tourism of Jammu and Kashmir is famous not only in the country but entire world. But this has not been done. Our Government will develop tourist spots in the entire State. I have been told by Abdul Gani Kohli (BJP candidate from Kalakote) that Kalakote had been made by a hell by the Government. We will make it heaven. The entire State will be back as heaven,” the Prime Minister said.
He charged the Government with doing “injustice and discrimination” with some areas of the State on “political grounds” and asked the crowd: “Can an elected Government do this? The Government has no right to do so. For me, Jammu and Kashmir and Gujarat are same. But the Government here has pursued the policy of injustice and discrimination. We will remove it. For me all 125 crores Indians are one”.
“…Common man does not go to a Minister to ask for gold, he does not go for a car, what the common man needs is proper education for his children, road connectivity, electricity, medical facilities, drinking and irrigation water etc but those who failed to provide these facilities to the people must be punished,” he added as crowd echoed his views and assured the Prime Minister by raising both hands.
Modi said the people of J&K have seen the Governments led by NC and PDP but BJP never got a chance to form Government in the state. “You have seen Governments led by NC and PDP, but you never have seen BJP Government in the State. Give BJP a chance to end all your problems,” he said.
The Prime Minister said he was overwhelmed to see the love and support of the people of Jammu and Kashmir that no other politician in the country has enjoyed.
“No politician has enjoyed the love and support that I get from the people of Jammu and Kashmir, I am overwhelmed and feel blessed with the love the people here show towards me. I will return your love and trust with interest i.e. by developing the State. And the development will lead to generation of tourism potential, job opportunities etc,” he said, adding that he has been visiting the State every month since June after becoming Prime Minister and will visit again in January and 2015.
Terming the ongoing Assembly polls in the State as the “most important” elections in the history of the country which the world is keenly watching, Modi said: “these are the most important elections in the history of the country as you people have defeated bullet with ballot.”
“Recently, Lok Sabha elections were held in the country, which were followed by Assembly polls in Maharashtra and Haryana but I want to tell you that entire world…the top leaders of the world are keenly watching the Assembly elections of Jammu and Kashmir and the way you have rejected the bullet for ballot, the international countries have watched this very keenly,” Modi said lauding the people for about 70 per cent turnout in the elections and called upon the people to maintain this trend in the remaining two phases.
“People of Jammu and Kashmir have shown full faith in the Indian democracy and given a strong message to the world. This has scripted history in independent India.
“This election has become very important for integrity and sovereignty of India. …They (people of Jammu and Kashmir) have introduced Indian democracy to the world through the massive polling in Jammu and Kashmir elections. You have done a great work,” Modi said.
Hitting out at the previous Government in New Delhi for all the ills in Jammu and Kashmir, he said “the work which could not been done by Governments sitting in New Delhi, you (J&K people) have done it by pressing a simple button of EVM”.
Modi said that by pressing the electronic voting machine, people of the State have given a clear message to the world that the EVM is more powerful than the AK-47.
The Prime Minister said the entire world was now accepting India’s status as a powerful nation.
“Is the entire world now talking about India? It is not an easy thing that within six months, the entire world accepts the power of our country. This is not happening due to Modi. This is happening due to you. This is happening because of the power of 125 crores people, who have voted strong and stable Government in the country,” he said, adding the world will similarly recognize the power of Jammu and Kashmir if it elected the BJP Government as “our leadership will make it happen”.
“The world has started recognizing the excellence of India not because of Modi, but because of the 1.25 billion strong people of the country. When people shake hands with me, they see 1.25 billion people standing behind me,” he said.
“It is because I have a decisive mandate to run the country. If we did not have a decisive mandate, the world would not have been looking up to us,” he said.
“Why has this happened? Has India’s respect now taking place in the world or not? It is happening in America, Japan, Australia, Nepal and Bhutan… Because of you,” the Prime Minister said.
Hailing the United Nation’s decision to declare June 21 as ‘International Yoga Day’, Modi said, “the world has decided to celebrate world yoga day. Has yoga born after my Government was formed”
“Has Modi started Yoga? World has termed it prestigious. This can have happened 10 years or two years ago also. These things does not come to their mind,” he said.
“It is pride moment for India that entire world has decided to celebrate world yoga day. Country has been honored. You (people) feel proud. Aren’t You?” he added.
In a bid to strike chord with the people of Kathua, Modi invoked contribution of Praja Parishad and Jan Sangh, which spearheaded an agitation for the integration of Jammu and Kashmir with the Indian Union.
“It is land of Praja Parishad. It is land where from Jan Sangh unfurled it flag (for unification). Where founder of Praja Parishad movement Thakur Baldev Singh dedicated his life to this cause. Today when I see huge a crowd thronging the venue, I bow before you, the people of this sacred land,” the Prime Minister said.
On Kathua being close to International Border and facing the problem of Pakistani shelling and firing, Modi said people of the district were brave to face the bullets and defend the country’s borders without a uniform and promised that he would fulfill their demand for reservation in the Army.
“The previous Governments had stopped recruitment in the Army. Why this was done? We will restore the recruitments in the Army,” he said in both the rallies at Kathua and Rajouri drawing cheers from the youth, who had come in large numbers to listen to him.
Asserting that people in Jammu and Kashmir had lost their all hopes as their dreams had been crushed by the previous Governments during past 30 years and they were living the life of helplessness, Modi said with the arrival of the BJP on political arena he was seeing ray of hope in the face of people.
“I’m seeing the shining faces in Jammu and Kashmir. A ray of hope has emerged among the people. We will not let you down and allow your dreams to die,” he declared.
Saluting the brave people of Kathua and Rajouri, the Prime Minister said they never ran away from the bullets of Pakistan and instead faced them on their chest. “But look at the previous Government. Instead of encouraging the youth, they banned their recruitment in Army. This was height of discouraging the youth. We will undo this discrimination and open the recruitment,” he added and declared that he had come to Kathua to promise the youth that the recruitment in the Army will be opened. “Your right had been snatched. I will return it,” he said addressing the youth.
“I want to ask the people what the previous Governments did for your welfare. They have done nothing. We want to do something for you. Give us a chance to form the majority Government. We will give you the results,” he said, adding he want to give power to the people of Jammu and Kashmir..power to the son of farmers and for that the BJP needs your support.
Modi said his Government has given a major relief to the people of the country by doing away with the practice of attestation of certificates by gazetted officers or political leaders. “Now the youth can self attest the documents and need not to go to the doors of officers and leaders,” he added.
Referring to the surcharged election environment in Jammu and Kashmir, Modi said the scenario was like none seen before.
“When I used to visit the State in the past, I used to see people doing their chores without any dreams and zeal in their lives. There was no shine in their eyes and they had dejected look on their faces. They were living in an environment of hopelessness,” he said.
After 30 years of “hopelessness and despair”, he said, today the dreams of people have come alive again and this makes him feel very happy.
“Keep your happiness and dreams alive. Don’t allow your dreams to die. This is my luck that I am able to witness lakhs of people before me (attending my rallies) which no political leader or party has seen till now.”
In his brief address at Kathua rally, Minister of State in the PMO and Lok Sabha member from Udhampur-Doda-Kathua seat, Dr Jitendra Singh said the BJP’s journey of success in Lok Sabha elections had also started from Kathua district and the story of party’s success in the Assembly polls will also start from here.
It may be mentioned here that Modi had started his election campaign for Lok Sabha elections by addressing an election rally in Hiranagar town of Kathua district after paying obeisance to Goddess Vaishno Devi ji.
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