*Cong destroyed J&K, BJP will build modern State
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Nov 19: Union Home Minister and BJP leader Rajnath Singh today declared that India was ready for friendly relations with its neighbours Pakistan and China provided that Pakistan also reciprocates the gesture and said the Border Security Force (BSF) has been asked to shun the policy of Congress regime of ‘no fire and white flags’ and give effective response to the neighbouring country if it resorted to any misadventure on the borders.
Addressing huge public rallies at Paddar (Kishtwar) and Bhaderwah in favour of BJP candidates Sunil Sharma and Dileep Singh Parihar, Rajnath declared that if voted to power in Jammu and Kashmir, the BJP will implement 73rd amendment of the Constitution of India granting powers to Panchayats and will give citizenship rights to West Pakistan refugees and package to Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) and other refugees in the State.
Maintaining that Article 370 of the Constitution of India, granting special status to the State was a national issue, the Home Minister said it was deliberately being raised in the Assembly elections and added that the BJP was ready for debate on merits and de-merits of the Article so that the people know the truth.
“We want good relations with Pakistan and China but they can’t come at the cost of our security. Pakistan must also reciprocate our gesture. At the same time, we have directed the BSF to teach Pakistan a lesson if it indulged in any misadventure on the borders,’’ he said.
Rajnath Singh said about two months back when Pakistan was shelling our border villages in Jammu in which five innocent civilians were killed he was told by the DG BSF that they were not firing at Pakistan and instead showing white flags to them.
“I asked why we are showing white flags to Pakistan. The DG BSF told me that it was the policy being pursued since Congress regime that the BSF shouldn’t fire at Pakistan even if all the Indians are killed and show white flags for peace. I immediately directed the DG BSF to shun this approach and give strong response to Pakistan and teach them a lesson,’’ he said, adding that Pakistan has been taught the lesson.
He added that it was due to strong retaliation by the Indian forces that Pakistan was made to run to the United Nations and sought the UN mediation for safety.
“Pakistan was forced to take United Nation’s refuge to stop retaliatory action by India in the wake of repeated ceasefire violations,’’ he said.
Rajnath said while India had offered help to Pakistan for flood losses suffered in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) but instead Pakistan started firing on our borders.
He said that India strongly maintained that PoK belonged to India and would welcome if it once again decides to return to India. He added that Pakistan has been trying hard to raise the Kashmir issue at the international level, “but, we say that they have completely destroyed the PoK area which is with them.”
Asserting that misinformation campaign had been spread about the BJP and attempts made to create fear psychosis among some section of people about the party, Rajnath declared that all such campaigns have been set to rest and now even the separatists including Sajjad Lone have openly sided with the BJP.
“The strong governance by the BJP led by its dynamic Prime Minister Narendra Modi has dispelled all misgivings about the party among various sections of society,’’ he said, adding this has led to re-thinking among the separatists.
Singh said some separatist forces were trying to spread “misinformation” about BJP, but the strong governance given by the party at the Centre prompted some separatists to join the mainstream.
“It is because of the strong leadership given by BJP that some separatist leaders have changed their mind and Sajad Lone is an example who has joined the political mainstream due to this,” he said, adding that BJP wants votes of all sections with “love and confidence’’ and not creating any kind of “fear psychosis’’ among the people as had been done by other political parties.
Calling the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution a “national issue’’, Singh said that the matter is debatable and should not be raked up during Assembly elections for “vote bank politics’’.
“It (Article 370) is (a) national issue. It is debatable. BJP’s stand on it is clear. There is no need to rake up this issue during Assembly polls…,” Singh said.
Singh asked political parties not to rake it up during Assembly elections for vote bank politics.
The Union Home Minister said his party would focus on good governance devoid of corruption, development and making Jammu and Kashmir a model of peace and development.
Singh said his party was ready for a debate on abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution which gives special status to Jammu and Kashmir, “but in Assembly elections our focus is on good governance and development”. He asserted that several parties have fooled the people on the name of Article 370 and did no development in Jammu and Kashmir.
Several BJP ruled States like Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Goa, Chhattisgarh etc have set an example of development without any special status. “We want Jammu and Kashmir to be made model of development,’’ he said expressing confidence that the BJP would storm to power in Jammu and Kashmir and Jharkhand, where Assembly elections are being held, like Haryana and Maharashtra. He told the unprecedented crowd at both Bhaderwah and Paddar that it was first time in the history of independent India that BJP has formed Government on its own in Maharashtra and Haryana and will create history in Jammu and Kashmir and Jharkhand also.
In a significant announcement, Rajnath Singh declared that the BJP would grant citizenship rights to West Pakistan refugees and address all issues of PoK and other refugees.
“We are determined to address issues of all refugees be they West Pakistanis or PoK or any other. We will give citizenship rights to West Pakistan refugees,’’ he declared setting at rest all kind of misinformation being spread by some organizations on the issue of refugees.
Rajnath wondered that what Congress did for Jammu and Kashmir during last 12 years especially when the party was in power in both Jammu and Kashmir and Centre.
“A party, which is in power at the Centre as well as State, could have done a lot for Jammu and Kashmir but they did nothing and spoiled the State. We will make it a modern State,’’ he declared.
Saying that some people were trying to create communal tension, Rajnath said: “we have special affection for the people of Kashmir that is why post floods, I and Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself went to see the situation in the Valley’’.
He said Modi was so moved by the plight of the people of Kashmir that he not only sanctioned Rs 1,000 crore for the flood-hit people, but also offered to extend help to residents of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
Referring to the denial of visa to Narendra Modi by the US government when he was Gujarat Chief Minister, Singh said during one of his visits to the US he had said that the people of India would create a situation where in the US will have to give a red carpet welcome to Modi.
“Modi has enhanced the image of this country throughout the world,” he said.
He said if voted to power in Jammu and Kashmir, BJP would never betray the faith reposed by the people of the State in the party.
“We are not only the one to say this…This time many international agencies are saying that there are encouraging chances that BJP will form the next Government in Jharkhand and Jammu and Kashmir,” Singh said.
He said that it was during the past six months of the Narendra Modi Government that inflation has come down and promised that within next one to one-and-a-half years prices would be brought under control.
“In Congress Government, there was no month when prices of petrol and diesel were not increased. Now our Government is reducing prices of petrol and diesel every month. During six months of our Government, prices of petrol have come down by Rs 11 and diesel by Rs 3.50 leading to decline in inflation. These prices will further come down in the months to come,’’ Rajnath declared.
“Our economic reform policy suggests that within the next one or one-and-a-half years prices of essential commodities would be brought under control,” he said.
He said that under the Jan Dhan Yojna, BJP Government would open bank account for every Indian. “So far we have opened 7.35 crore bank accounts and people have opened bank account with zero balance,” he said.
He said people of the country have rejected Congress and expressed their faith that only Narendra Modi and BJP can develop India.
He said the people will get Rs 1 lakh accident cover and Rs 5000 Overdraft facility within 45 days of the opening of the account under Jan Dhan scheme.
Follow our WhatsApp channel