Wants elections to be held soon in J&K, we have to see security point of view also: Shah

Reined-in Jamaat, Hurriyat; now JKP fighting terror

*Will take initiatives to control worsening situation in Punjab

Sanjeev Pargal

JAMMU, Nov 15: Union Home Minister Amit Shah has said that he wants the (Assembly) elections to be held soon in Jammu and Kashmir but added that the Government has to see it from the security point of view also and then the Election Commission has to decide.
Shah had strong praise for Jammu and Kashmir Police saying earlier the Central forces were fighting against terrorism in the Union Territory but now the JKP is fighting against the terror which is a big change in the Valley. However, he said, the law and order situation is getting worse in Punjab and he will take the initiatives to control the worsening situation.
In an interview to TV18 network, Shah said he wants the elections to be held soon in Jammu and Kashmir.
“The Election Commission is correcting the voter list. We have to see it from the security point of view. The Election Commission has to take the call,” he added.
The Home Minister said the Government is now fighting against those also who feed terrorism in Kashmir.
“From 1990 till today, we are fighting terrorism. We never fought against those who feed terrorism. We rein-in Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) and Hurriyat Conference. Today, the Valley has been reporting least number of terror incidents,” he asserted.
Lavishing praises on Jammu and Kashmir Police for fighting against terrorism, Shah said earlier the Central forces were fighting against terrorism but now the JKP is fighting against the terror which is a major change in the Valley.
However, he added, law and order situation is getting worse in Punjab. “I will take the initiatives to control the worsening situation under the AAP-led Government in Punjab,” he said.
On the issue of reclaiming Pakistan occupied Jammu Kashmir (PoJK), Shah said the nation has always maintained this and there is Parliament’s resolution as well that the region is India’s.
Maintaining that Dalits didn’t have reservation rights in Jammu and Kashmir, Shah said the BJP gave them the rights.
“Within our time, J&K is an integral part of India today by ending two legislations, two symbols and two heads, It is part of major achievements of Modi-led regime,” the Home Minister said.
He said there were problems in Kashmir mainly due to ineffective democracy as it was hegemony maintained by three families ( a reference towards Abdullahs, Muftis and Gandhis). However, because of the Narendra Modi Government, more than 30,000 people representatives are doing their work (a reference towards DDC, BDC and Panchayats’ elected people), he added.
Speaking on elections promises fulfilled by the BJP, the Home Minister said: “We had promised that Article 370 will be removed and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has kept the promise. We also promised construction of Ram Mandir and Modi did ‘Bhoomi Puja’ and now a grand Shri Ram temple is being constructed in Ayodhya”.
He said there has been highest tourist footfall in Jammu and Kashmir since independence with eight million tourists which is a big achievement.
On implementation of Uniform Civil Code, the Union Home Minister said right from 1950, it is in our manifesto that we will bring the UCC.
“In any secular country, there should be equal laws for citizens of all religions. This is the promise of our manifesto and we will fulfil it,” he asserted.
Maintaining that Congress has no right to utter Sardar Patel’s name, Shah said Modi made the biggest statue of Sardar Patel. No Congressman visited to pay respect to Patel. No scheme was introduced to honour senior leader by his own party.
He said there will be good impact of Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh elections on Karnataka.
Further attacking the Congress, Shah said 10 years of Sonia Gandhi-Manmohan Singh’s Government saw scams worth Rs 12 lakh crore.
“It was difficult to count scams during Congress rule and it is difficult to find scams under BJP rule,” he added.