Amit Shah vows to bury terrorism, asks people not to vote for NC-Cong alliance
Union home minister Amit Shah claimed attempts are being made to bring back the 1990s-like situation and spread terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir
Union home minister Amit Shah on Monday appealed to the voters to stay away from the National Conference (NC)-Congress alliance and vote for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Jammu and Kashmir as he vowed to “bury terrorism deep into the earth that it would not be able rear its head again.”
“This land of Mata Machail has given supreme sacrifices for the nation. I bow before the ancestors of this sacred land. We all know how terrorism peaked here in the 1990s. The sacrifices of Chanderkant Sharma and Parihar brothers are still fresh in our minds,” said Shah at an election rally in Kishtwar district’s Padder-Nagseni assembly constituency.
Terrorists shot dead Sharma, a member of BJP’s ideological fount Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, and his bodyguard Rajinder in April 2019. J&K BJP secretary Anil Parihar and his brother Ajit Parihar were shot point blank in November 2018.
BJP has fielded former minster Sunil Sharma from Padder-Nagseni and Shagun Parihar, daughter of Ajit Parihar, from Kishtwar assembly constituency.
Shah claimed attempts were being made to bring back the 1990s-like situation and spread terrorism. “NC and Congress have made promises that their government will release terrorists. But this is Narendra Modi’s government and none has the guts to spread terrorism.”
Shah attacked NC chief Farooq Abdullah and asked him where was he when Kishtwar was bleeding from terror attacks. “He should be asked if he comes here. But I know where he was. He was enjoying summer vacation in London,” Shah said.
Shah cautioned the voters to stay away from the two parties that “nurtured and nourished” terrorism. “Congress-NC alliance has always nurtured terrorism. Whenever the NC-Congress government was formed here, they encouraged terrorism. I clearly remember the 1990s. This alliance between Gandhi and Abdullah families, which spread terrorism, wants to get your votes again.”
He said the BJP government has resolved to wipe out terrorism and initiated some measures. “We have strengthened village defence guards and special police officers. We have replaced their obsolete rifles and they are being equipped with self-loading rifles...we are raising a security grid. [Terrorists] may come but they will be wiped out.”
Shah reiterated the Constitution’s Article 370, which gave Jammu and Kashmir semi-autonomous status, is history and will never come back. “NC and Congress say that if they came to power, they will bring back Article 370. Modi revoked Article 370 and it has become history. It has no place in the Indian Constitution,” he said.
He said they will also not allow NC-Congress to snatch reservations to Gujjars and Paharis. “Never ever will Jammu and Kashmir have two constitutions and two flags. There will be only one flag.”
He claimed that NC and Congress had said if they came to power, they would reconsider reservation to Paharis and Gujjars. “Firstly, the reservation would not have been possible, had Article 370 stayed here. Secondly, I am watching the Kashmir situation. Let me tell you that neither Farooq Abdullah nor Rahul [Gandhi]...is going to form the government,” he said.
Shah referred to Maharaja Hari Singh, Jammu and Kashmir’s last king, and said he was banished from his state. “These parties [NC and Congress] not only insulted Maharaja Hari but also did not allow him to return home. His ashes came back. These parties, who insulted Maharaja Hari Singh, are responsible for the exodus of Pandits, denied rights to women and reservation to marginalised sections…will you bring them back?” he asked.