Jammu and Kashmir Heads for Historic Assembly Elections Under National Flag, Constitution: Amit Shah Assures About Restoration of Valley’s Statehood After Vidhan Sabha Polls

Jammu, September 7: Home Minister Amit Shah Saturday assured people about the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir's statehood after the assembly election, which he said is the first under the national flag and the Constitution following the abrogation of Article 370 by the Narendra Modi government. He accused the Congress-National Conference alliance of attempting to revive the "old system" and pushing Jammu and Kashmir into terrorism and corruption.

The NDA government will not allow the revival of terrorism, "autonomy" and injustice with any community, including Gujjars, Pahari, Bakerwals and Dalits who were granted reservation by the BJP dispensation, he said. Shah was in Jammu on a two-day visit to boost the BJP's election campaign for the three-phase assembly polls, beginning September 18. Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Elections 2024: National Conference and Congress Will Not Form Government in J&K, Says Amit Shah.

He released the party's manifesto on his first day of visit on Friday and also chaired two crucial meetings with senior leaders to discuss the campaign strategy. "The upcoming elections in Jammu and Kashmir are historic because, after Independence, the polls are happening for the first time under our national flag and Constitution, unlike the past practice of two flags and two constitutions.

"From Kashmir to Kanyakumari we have only one prime minister and he is Modi," Shah told a BJP workers' rally here on Saturday before leaving for Delhi. Taking a dig at the National Conference-Congress alliance, he alleged they are trying to push Jammu and Kashmir into the fire of corruption and terrorism once again while the BJP-led government has brought down terror incidents in the Union territory by 70 per cent.

"The National Conference and the Congress will never be able to form a government in J-K, be confident about it," Shah told BJP workers, encouraging them to ensure the success of the party candidates to form the next government. Shah started his over half-an-hour speech by paying tributes to Bharatiya Jana Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mookerjee, Pandit Prem Nath Dogra and Baba Daleep Singh Manhas and extended greetings to the nation on Ganesh Chaturthi and the Jain community on Paryushana Parva. Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Elections 2024: BJP Releases Manifesto for Vidhan Sabha Polls in Valley; Promises INR 18,000, 2 Free Cylinders for Women.

"This election is being held outside the shadow of Article 370. We have seen its miracle in the Lok Sabha elections when 58.46 per cent of voters exercised their franchise unlike in the past when 10 per cent voting was being celebrated by the previous governments in Delhi. "This is the biggest success of democracy," he said, reiterating that there will be no talks with Pakistan till terrorism ends and peace is restored.

On the opposition's poll promise of statehood restoration, Shah said, "I want to ask Farooq Abdullah and Rahul Gandhi, who is going to restore the statehood. You cannot give it back. Why are you misleading the public?" "It is the central government and BJP and I have already said inside Parliament that we will restore statehood at an appropriate time after assembly elections. They should hear my speech on August 5 and 6 (2019).”

He also criticised the NC for its promise of releasing "stone-pelters and terrorists" from jails and alleged that their aim is to revive terrorism in the peaceful Poonch, Rajouri and Doda districts of Jammu. Kashmir has borne the brunt of terrorism because there were governments that used to close their eyes and the people at the helm used to flee. "If NC-Congress returns to power, consider this as a revival of terrorism. Jammu and Kashmir, especially Jammu has to decide whether they want terrorism or peace and development… Nobody dares to infiltrate when there is the BJP.

"When the Modi government took over (in 2014), it spelt destruction for those funding terrorism by sending them to jails. They are talking about starting suspended LoC trade, the dividends of which go to terrorism," he said. Referring to the NC's promise of implementation of the autonomy resolution, Shah said no power can talk about autonomy as more than 40,000 people have lost their lives to terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir.

In June 2000, the National Conference government under Farooq Abdullah passed a resolution in the Assembly seeking to restore the pre-1953 constitutional position in the state. It was, however, rejected by the Union Cabinet headed by then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. "I am reading the writing on the wall that NC and Congress will never form a government. They are the people who forced Maharaja Hari Singh to exile and only his ashes could be brought back after his death," Shah said.

Continuing his tirade against the NC, Congress and the PDP, he accused the three families of mass corruption. The corruption by these families is equal to that in the entire country, the Union home minister alleged. "Had the money taken by them been utilised for development of the region, no work would have been left incomplete in Jammu and Kashmir." Shah said the goal of the BJP is overall development. "I want to remind the youth of Kashmir that you gave power to them but Abdullah and his family fled to England in the face of terrorism while the youth fell to terrorism which we wiped out. Vote anyone you want but do not make them win as their agenda will bring back terrorism and stop development," he added.