Mir Iqbal
URI, BARAMULLA, Nov 28: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh today said it was Bharatiya Janata Party’s heartfelt desire to have good relations with Pakistan.
The Home Minister said this in his telephonic address to the party rally in North Kashmir’s border town Uri as his chopper couldn’t land due to the bad weather here.
Singh said that India wants friendly relations with Pakistan. “I want to tell Pakistan Prime Minister that being our neighbors we want good relations with it,” Singh told the rally.
The Home Minister added:”But just shaking hands won’t help. The hearts should come together. He was referring to a formal handshake between Modi with his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif at the end of SAARC summit in Nepal.
“Modi took the initiative to help Pakistan in the time of the flood but the Pakistan refused the offer. Rather they started firing on the border as a result of which many people lost their lives,” the Home Minister said.
He said the atmosphere of terrorism has been going on for a long time and a generation has been a victim of terror. Hundreds of families have been destroyed and assured given a chance his party would address the issue of terrorism and will restore the pristine glory of Kashmir valley.
“I want to assure you that once you elect the BJP Government in the state, we will take Jammu and Kashmir out of the shadows of terrorism,” he said adding “we will not allow Kashmir, which was once known as heaven worldwide, to become a hell”, the BJP leader said.
The Home Minister also lashed out at the National Conference led Government for its failure to help people during floods. “The centre had to step in to provide succor to the people during the recent floods which caused massive death and destruction in the State,” he said. “I know you are struggling in the aftermath of the floods. There was huge damage to life and property but the National Conference Government surrendered at the time of the disaster so we decided that we had to step in for the relief and rehabilitation of the people of the State”, he added.
Praising Modi, Singh said: “We stood up with strength. Modi visited the State immediately and announced a special package. I cannot say anything on if you got some relief or not. You know better than me.”
Seeking a clear mandate for the BJP, the Union Minister said the successive Governments in the State have failed to address the problems of the people and are raising emotive slogans to hoodwink the people. “Be it NC, PDP or Congress, they took votes from you but after forming the Government they raise emotive slogans, rather than addressing your problems, only to divert your attention. Emotive slogans should not be raised during elections. The issues of development, employment and public welfare should be raised,” he added.
Singh said he does not want such a Government which wants to “divert” your attention and tries to instill fear in you and does not give you the right to live with dignity. “There is no reason to have such a Government in the State. I assure you when BJP comes to power, we will provide you the right to live with dignity. It is the promise of BJP,” he said.
The Minister said he was aware of the needs and issues of the people as there was no development and the rate of literacy is low. “The Government had not paid attention to your issues,” he said adding there should have been four lane highway from Srinagar to Uri. “Though the previous Government has promised to do it, they did not fulfill it. We will fulfill the promise,” he said.
“In BJP ruled States, electricity is supplied for 24 hours. It is not done here. I am told that there is a small hospital in Uri and the condition of the patient deteriorates till they are shifted to Srinagar. So there should be a major hospital in Uri,” said the Minister.
Pressing for implementation of the 73rd Amendment of the Panchayati Raj in the State, the BJP leader said the money from Centre for Panchayat goes directly to the Panchayats in other States of the country after the incorporation of the amendment. “However, the money does not goes directly to the Panchayats in the State and goes to the Government. How much does the Government give you, you know it. There is a rampant corruption in the state,” he said.
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