Won't let anyone derail development, says Amit Shah in Jammu

Shah, who was on his first visit to the Union territory since the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution, said justice was done to all.

Union home minister Amit Shah on Sunday said a new era of development was being ushered in Jammu under the leadership of the Lieutenant Governor of the Union territory and Union minister Jitendra Singh. Stating that Jammu was earlier facing much discrimination, Shah said the administration was now ensuring there was equitable development of the Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah during a public rally in Jammu on Sunday.(PTI)

The Union home minister is on a three-day visit to the Union territory, his first since the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution on August 5, 2019 that granted special status to the erstwhile state. He said justice was done to all, including the Valmikis, Paharis, Gujjars, Bakerwals, refugees of West Pakistan and women.

Shah inaugurated a new campus of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Jammu earlier in the day, following which he headed to address a public rally at the Bhagwati Nagar ground.

He said that while some wanted to derail the era of development in the region, the government had ensured that did not happen. Several laws were introduced, including the Forest Rights Act, to ensure justice for all sections of society.

“It is the land of temples, of Mata Vaishno Devi, of Prem Nath Dogra, the land of sacrifice of Syama Prasad Mukherjee. We will not allow anyone to sabotage and scuttle this journey of development."

“I came to Jammu today to say that the time of injustice to the people of Jammu is over, now no one can do injustice to you,” Shah said.

“Some people are raising questions about security. Between 2004 and 2014, 2,081 people lost their lives -- 208 people were killed every year. From 2014 to September 2021, 239 people lost their lives. But we are not satisfied. We want to create an atmosphere where no one loses life to terrorism,” Shah said, adding those living along the International Border were given reservations. "Gujjars will also get it shortly,” he added.

Hitting out at the former rulers of the erstwhile state, Shah said, “Three families that have ruined J&K were questioning our agenda. May I ask them that you ruled for so long, what have you done? People of J&K want you to explain what did you do for them for all these years?”

“Today is the birth anniversary of Prem Nath Dogra. People of India can't forget him. He along with Shyama Prasad Mukherjee gave the slogan that in a country two ‘vidhan’, two ‘nishan’, two ‘pradhan' will not work,” he said.

"Earlier, there were four to five medical colleges. Now, plenty are being opened. Earlier, there were 500 doctors. That has now gone up to 5,000. Today, we saw the most advanced IIT in Jammu. Talked to IIT, IIM directors to explore satellite campuses in J&K for admissions of the UT’s youth.”

Shah said 25,000 jobs were given to the UT’s youth recently. “Today alone 7,000 people got jobs. Our new industrial policy was mocked by the three families, but already there is investment worth ₹12,000 crore. As many as five lakh youth will get jobs out of investment worth ₹51,000 crore by 2022,” the home minister said, adding the administration would ensure nobody remained without LPG, electricity and water.

The home minister further said a metro network would come up after two years in Jammu and Srinagar, while airports were being upgraded at the moment.

He said the coronavirus pandemic wreaked havoc across the world, but Prime Minister Narendra Modi did everything possible to contain its spread and kept the number of deaths to minimal. “J&K Was the first UT to have achieved 100 per cent vaccination in the country,” he added.

(With inputs from bureau)