Article 370 is a thing of the past, no talks with Pakistan until terrorism ends, says Amit Shah

Jammu, September 6 (IANS): Indian Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday made it clear that Article 370 is a thing of the past and those promising its reintroduction are deceiving the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

He also said that there can be no talks with Pakistan as long as there is terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir.

“We have been closely associated with Jammu and Kashmir since the country's independence. From the agitation started by Pandit Prem Nath Dogra to the sacrifice of Syama Prasad Mookerjee, our party, first as Jana Sangh and then as BJP, has striven for complete integration of Jammu and Kashmir with the rest of the country,” said Shah, who came here to release the BJP's election manifesto for the upcoming assembly elections, addressing a huge gathering of party workers, BJP supporters and media persons.

“Till 2014, both state and non-state actors controlled the situation on the ground. The governments in power then pursued a policy of appeasement towards the separatists. In the last ten years after 2014, the history of Jammu and Kashmir will be written in golden words. Today, Jammu and Kashmir is a part of India and will always remain a part of India. Article 370 and 35A are no longer part of the Indian Constitution. These articles are a thing of the past and will never appear again. Those who promise to reinstate Article 370 are deceiving the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.

“Our government has restored democracy at the basic level, from the panchayat and municipal bodies to the Lok Sabha elections and now the parliamentary elections in Jammu and Kashmir, like never before,” said Amit Shah.

He said 58 percent of the votes cast were polled in the Lok Sabha elections and “in the past, when the votes cast were 10 percent, it was highlighted in the newspapers.”

Asked about the election promise of some regional political parties to encourage Delhi to hold talks with Pakistan, the Home Minister replied, “There is no question of talking to Pakistan as long as there is terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir. Yes, we will talk to the youth of Jammu and Kashmir as if they were our own children.”

On the National Conference's (NC) election manifesto promising to reorganise reservations in Jammu and Kashmir, he said: “Omar Abdullah is now saying that if he comes to power, they will reorganise reservations for Gujjars, Paharis and other underprivileged classes. I want to tell Omar Abdullah that reservations are a part of the Indian Constitution and that he will never have the power to abolish these reservations.”

About the NC-Congress alliance, Shah said, “The Congress has supported the NC manifesto. I ask Rahul Gandhi again whether he supports the restoration of Article 370, the restoration of the dual constitution in J&K and the release of all anti-national elements from prisons. Nothing will be achieved by remaining silent. Rahul Gandhi should answer 'yes' or 'no' whether he supports the NC manifesto.”

Shah appealed to voters to support BJP candidates and highlighted key points of the party manifesto he released today.

“What has happened in the last ten years has brought us closer to our goal. I promise that we will change the face of Jammu and Kashmir in four years if the people give us the mandate to rule Jammu and Kashmir. The youth will determine their own destiny. College students will be given a travel allowance of Rs 3,000. To prepare local youth for the UPSC exams, we will give Rs 10,000 per month to promising candidates for two years,” he said.

“Dal Lake will be restored to its former glory. We will build an entertainment city at the Tattoo ground in Srinagar, which visitors will not leave for three days because of the attractions for children and families,” he said.

The BJP leader also referred to the Pandit Prem Nath Dogra Yojana proposed in the manifesto and pointed out its numerous benefits for the common man.

In his manifesto, he promised to achieve the establishment of a tourist town in Rajouri in the underdeveloped Pir Panjal region and the districts of Poonch and Rajouri.

“Udhampur district will get a pharmaceutical park. Jammu city will have its own lake,” he said.

Regarding investments, he said that in the last ten years, three times more has been invested in Jammu and Kashmir than in the previous 70 years.

His other election promises included regularisation of long-pending leases of small and medium traders and buyers, giving five marlas of land to the homeless and promising financial support from the government for construction of houses on the allotted land.

He also spoke of an amnesty for consumers' outstanding electricity bills.

Asked about the reports that some separatists are now joining the NC and PDP to contest elections, he said that those who are trying to accommodate such elements must understand what they are doing. To another question about former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah's entry into the election campaign after categorically declaring that he would not contest elections as long as J&K remains a Union Territory, Shah said, “He was afraid of defeat and that is why he said that he will not contest elections. Then under pressure, he filed his election petition for one constituency. Again fearing defeat, he filed his election petition for another constituency.”

“I want to tell Omar Sahab that people are not behind him and that he should accept that,” he said.

Talking about the Kashmiri Pandits who had to flee their homes due to insurgency, the Union Home Minister said, “They have sold their properties under distress. In some cases, we have returned their lost properties to them and in all cases, we will ensure either return of the lost properties or fair market prices for the properties sold under distress.”

Amit Shah mocked various political parties for promising to fight for the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. “What are they promising? I have said in Parliament that statehood will be restored in due course. Where is the question of whether I am fighting for something which I have made a commitment to the Parliament of the country to restore?” he wondered.

Responding to political parties' claims that intimidation of Muslims would not be tolerated in Jammu and Kashmir, he said Muslims were not intimidated anywhere in the country and would never be intimidated in Jammu and Kashmir.

The three-stage elections in Jammu and Kashmir will be held on September 18, 25 and October 1. The counting of votes will take place on October 8.