Amit Shah Challenges Opposition Unity, Highlights Jammu And Kashmir's Transformation

With National Conference Vice-President Omar Abdullah and Peoples’ Democratic Party President Mehbooba Mufti in Patna to be part of the grand alliance of the 17 parties that are going to contest the 2024 general elections together against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Union Home Minister Amit Shah kick started his two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir attacking Abdullahs and Muftis, asking them who is responsible for the death of 42,000 people in the union territory as their parties were in power in the erstwhile State.

Patna won't give opposition unity

Targeting the Patna meeting, he said a photo session is going on in Patna. “All the opposition leaders are gathering on one platform and want to give a message that they will challenge the Bharatiya Janata Party, NDA and Modi ji.”

He said he wanted to convey to all opposition leaders that despite joining hands, their unity is not possible and even if they get united, it is certain that in 2024 Narendra Modi-led government would be in power again with over 300 seats.

He said unlike the Congress-led UPA Government at the Centre which was involved in scams running into Rs 12 lakh crore, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has run a corruption-free government and has ensured many benefits to 60 crore poor people of the country, who were denied the same in the past.

Talking about the Prime Minister’s US visit, he said that after a long time the United States has given the Indian Prime Minister an honour of a state guest. The two countries are entering into a number of agreements, especially in the field of space, defence and semiconductors. He said that the world’s biggest companies are now interested in investing in India under the leadership of the Prime Minister, adding that Modi has also made India the world’s fifth-largest economy.

Amit Shah further said that Rahul Gandhi is always opposing. “Rahul Baba has a habit of opposing, be it an abrogation of Article 370, the foundation of Ram temple or ban on triple talaq.”

Shah said that the people of the country have decided that for 2024 elections, on the one hand is Prime Minister Narendra Modi and on the other hand there is Rahul Gandhi. He urged people to vote for the BJP in 2024 and be a part of forming the Modi government again.

However, his entire focus in his speech remained on Jammu and Kashmir and Article 370.

A new J&K coming up

“A new Jammu and Kashmir is coming up under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership. Three families ruled Jammu and Kashmir for years. And development couldn’t take place in Jammu and Kashmir due to Article 370. 42,000 people died in Jammu and Kashmir due to terrorism. And these people (PDP-NC) are saying we should have continued with Article 370. I want to ask Abdullah and Mufti that 42,000 people were killed and who is responsible for it. You were the ruling,” he said. “These three families have ruled in J&K,” he added. 

He claimed that after one incident of terrorism recently, Mehbooba Mufti started shouting, “Where is the government.” “Under the 10 years of the UPA government, 7,327 terror incidents took place, whereas, in nine years of the NDA government, the number stands at 2,350. There has been a 70 percent decline and it has happened under the BJP government,” he said.

Around 2,056 civilians were killed in Jammu and Kashmir when the Congress-led UPA was in power at the Centre from 2004 to 2014, while the number stands at only 377 under the BJP-led NDA government, he said, adding that the number of separatist-sponsored calls for strikes also dropped to 32 after the abrogation of Article 370 and there has been a 90 percent decline in stone-pelting incidents. “This shows that the situation in Jammu and Kashmir is improving,” he noted.

“Due to Article 370, Gurjar, Pahari and tribal brothers were not getting their rights. The Modi government removed Article 370. Now everyone is getting equal rights here,” Shah said.

The Home Minister said that BJP government has tightened the noose on terrorism and today “terrorism is on the death bed.” Shah made these remarks while addressing a rally at Bhagwati Nagar, Jammu.

'Dr. Syama Prasad Mukherjee was murdered' 

Amit Shah paid tribute to BJP ideologue and founder, Syama Prasad Mukherjee.

He said Mukherjee was against the inclusion of Article 370 as he believed that there is no place for two flags and two heads in a nation.

“Today is the martyrdom day of Dr. Syama Prasad Mukherjee. Today West Bengal is connected with the country because of Dr. Mukherjee. Today Jammu and Kashmir is connected with the whole of India and Article 370 has been repealed. It is the result of Mukherjee ji's determination, sacrifice and his courage.”

He said Mukherjee was illegally arrested in 1953 for entering J&K without a permit. "Why need a permit for entering one’s own country?’’ he asked. He said Mukherjee was jailed illegally at that time. “And we all know he was murdered,” he added.

“Youth of J&K have replaced stones with laptops and books,” he said. He said last year, for the first time, 1.88 crore tourists visited J&K.

G-20 Summit

Shah said the G-20 summit in Srinagar from May 22 to May 25 this year, was a “grand success.”

“Every foreign dignitary has gone back to their respective countries with the message of peace and a changing Kashmir post the abrogation of Article 370,” he said. “It has given good indication for tourism,” he added.

He said the Panchayati Raj system is strengthened with thousands of public representatives to raise the voice of the people.