Amit Shah vows firearm response to cross-border firing at Jammu and Kashmir rally

Jammu:

Indian Home Minister Amit Shah said on Saturday that firing from across the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) would be responded to with firing and not dialogue.
Addressing a massive BJP election rally in Mendhar area of ​​Poonch district on Saturday, Shah said, “The days of cross-border shootings are over. Pakistan is now afraid of Prime Minister Modi. There was a time when those in power in Jammu and Kashmir were afraid of Pakistan.”

“The situation has changed completely. If there is shooting from the other side of the Line of Control, we will respond with shooting and not with 'boli (talks).'”

Home Minister (HM) Shah said he had come to Mendhar to appeal for the victory of BJP candidate Murtaza Khan.

“I live in Gujarat and never thought that I would be able to speak to the people of Mendhar, just 2 km from the Line of Control. Our Gujjar, Bakarwal and Pahari brothers have always stood as soldiers of the country whenever there was a war with Pakistan after 1947.

“Today, from the hills of Mendhar, I want to tell you that the entire country is proud of you. I appeal to you to join Prime Minister Narendra Modi in protecting the country.

“This election will end the monopoly of the three families of Abdullahs, Muftis and Gandhis. They have prevented democracy from taking root in Jammu and Kashmir. If Prime Minister Modi had not come to power in 2014, there would have been no Panchayat, BDC and DDC elections here.

“It is thanks to Narendra Modi and Murtaza Bhai that today 30,000 youth from here are working in different parts of the country,” said His Majesty Shah.

“In the days of Farooq Abdullah and the Mufti family, 40,000 innocent people were killed. Prime Minister Modi has decided to put an end to terrorism. Instead of stones, we have given laptops in the hands of the youth. Omar Abdullah is now threatening that terrorism will come back. I want to tell him that despite his protection, we will never allow terrorism to come back in the valley, our government is in power and Modiji is the Prime Minister,” the Union Home Minister thundered.

“I appeal to you to end the monopoly of these three families. Did Farooq Abdullah protect you in the 1990s? Instead, he went to London for a summer holiday.”

“We have expanded facilities for the common man. We have given Rs 500,000 free healthcare. Have they done that in 70 years? Modi will give you Rs 100,000 health insurance in future. Modiji recently suggested to the Cabinet that instead of the gravel roads planned for villages of 500 people under PMGSY, we should build one gravel road for every village of 50 people.

“This will benefit the hill regions, OBCs, Gujjars, Bakarwals and also Pahari's brothers.

“Farooq's party opposed reservation for Paharis by telling the Gujjars and Bakarwals that Paharis would reduce their reservation quota. We proved them wrong.

“Before the introduction of reservations, our Gujjar/Bakarwal brothers used to look for jobs for their children as daily wage labourers. With reservations, your children can now become tax collectors and district SPs. They can get admission in medical and engineering colleges on reservations.

“This right was guaranteed to you by the Constitution of India. Farooq Abdullah and his friends did not pass this right on to you. They are now saying that they will review the quota. Don't worry, even if they hang themselves upside down, no one can take away your reservation,” he explained.

“I promise to fulfill your demand for the tax collector's winter camp in Mendhar before the onset of this winter. There will be schools up to higher secondary level in Mendhar and your children will be provided with laptops and tablets so that they can be taught online.

“We will increase your quota even further by giving reservation in promotions. Some NC leaders have said that the NC flag is red because there is terrorism in J&K. Do they want to put weapons in the hands of our youth?

“We will arm the youth of this area by recruiting them into the police, army and CRPF.

“We will hold special recruitment camps to recruit young people from the border areas for the army and other defense forces of the country,” he said.

His Majesty Shah continued, “We have built a conference hall and a dak bungalow, installed solar-powered street lights and stopped cross-border artillery shelling in Mendhar.”

“If you bring us to power in Jammu and Kashmir, we will give the eldest woman in every family Rs 18,000 annually and two LPG cylinders free. Farmers will get Rs 10,000 credited to their accounts instead of the current Rs 6,000. We will reduce electricity tariffs by half and give 500 units of electricity free.”

“Jammu will have a metro, the Tawi riverfront and Poonch and Rajouri will have as good a tourist destination as Pahalgam in the valley.”

He added, “We will give 20 per cent quota in the Agniveer scheme. Their children can become Chief Secretary and DGP of Jammu and Kashmir and those days are not far off.”

“I appeal to you to vote for Murtaza Khan and give Modiji the opportunity to bring progress and prosperity to Mendhar,” His Majesty Shah concluded his speech with these words.

He will address four more BJP campaign rallies in Rajouri, Surankote, Thanamandi and Akhnoor on Saturday.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)