Till There Is No Peace, No Talks With Pakistan, Says Home Minister Amit Shah

Launching a scathing attack on Congress and the National Conference's manifesto, Union Minister and BJP leader Amit Shah said on Saturday that they want to bring back the old system and start talks with Pakistan but "till there is no peace, there will be no talks with Pakistan."

Criticising the Congress and National Conference's manifesto, Shah said that they want to spread terrorism, snatch reservations of Gujjars, Bakarwal, Paharis and Dalits, release criminals and start LOC trade with Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir.

Stating the BJP's 10 agendas for elections, Shah said, "Congress and NC want to bring back two flags, article in Jammu and Kashmir, will you? They want to snatch the reservation of Gujjars, Bakarwal, Paharis and Dalits. I want to tell one thing to Rahul Gandhi: no matter how much effort you put in, we will not let the reservation of Gujjars, Bakarwal, Paharis and Dalits be touched. Abrogation of Article 370 has given rights to women, will you let them snatch their rights? They want to release the criminals wrapped up in terrorism, but we won't let them spread terrorism in Jammu, Poonch, Rajouri, and Doda. They say we will restart LoC trade, but who will benefit from it? Their profit will be used to spread terrorism. They want to talk to Pakistan but I want to say that till there is no peace, there will be no talks with Pakistan."

"Three families want Jammu and Kashmir to incline towards terrorism. Gandhi, Abdullah and the Mufti family have looted money from Jammu and Kashmir; they want to restore the old system, which means there will be inequality in Jammu. No power can talk about giving autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir. They are fooling the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Rahul Gandhi should stop misguiding people. They want to snatch the reservation of Gujjars, Bakarwal, Paharis and Dalits," said Shah.

The Home Minister said that the alliance was fooling people by saying they would restore statehood to Jammu and Kashmir as only the government can do this and PM Modi will do this.

"Congress and National Conference are saying they will restore statehood. Tell me who can give it? It is only the Central government, PM Modi who can give it. So stop fooling the people of Jammu and Kashmir. We have said that at an appropriate time after the elections, we will give statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. We have said this in Parliament. Rahul Gandhi should stop misleading the people of J&K," Union Minister Amit Shah said,
In a veiled attack at the National Conference and the PDP, Shah said that there are people who became chief ministers when there was peace in the territory but whenever there was little disturbance, they rushed to Delhi in coffee bars.

"Kashmir has suffered a lot from terrorism. There were governments in Kashmir that turned a blind eye to terrorism. There are people who would come here and become chief ministers when there was peace and when there was terrorism, they would go to Delhi and drink coffee in coffee bars."

Praising the Modi government, Shah said that the BJP government has reduced up to 70 per cent of terrorism in the territory and now Amarnath Yatra is carried out fearlessly.

"The Bharatiya Janata Party has done the work of reducing terrorism by 70 per cent in 10 years. After many years, the Amarnath Yatra was carried out fearlessly. After many years, night theatre started in the valley, Tazia procession was carried out in the valley. The people of Jammu and Kashmir especially the people of Jammu have to decide whether they want terrorism peace or development. If NC and Congress come to power, terrorism will come and if BJP will come, then no one can infiltrate here," said Shah.

Addressing the 'Karyakarta Sammelan', Shah, "We just don't have to defeat them, we have to seize their deposits. The movement started by Pandit Prem Nath Dogra was ended by PM Modi Ji on August 5, 2019. It is a coincidence that the first election rally of BJP is starting on the day of Ganesh Chaturthi and we all know that Lord Ganesh destroys all the obstacles of the path. I want to express my gratitude to the citizens on this occasion. The upcoming elections are historic elections. For the first time since the country's independence, the voters of Jammu and Kashmir will cast their votes under the tricolour. For the first time, votes will be cast under the Constitution of Baba Saheb Ambedkar and not under two constitutions. For the first time, no PM will sit in Jammu and Kashmir as only one person can be PM. These elections are results out of the shadow of the article 370 and we have seen its results in Lok Sabha elections."

Exuding confidence, Shah said that the BJP will contest these elections with full strength and urged the booth workers of the party to work on the ground by door-to-door campaigning.

"I want to clear all the speculations that BJP will contest and win these elections with full strength. The biggest strength of the Bharatiya Janata Party is the booth workers and booth presidents. When our booth workers come on the election ground, the best leader has flown from the field. This time, our booth workers have to go to each home and tell about the changes that were made in Jammu. For over 70 years, we have fought for our development, the pilgrimage of Amarnath Yatra, we had to protest for it, but now, the day has come that you don't need to ask for or do protests for it because Modi Ji will give it," Shah stated.

Urging the booth workers of the party, Shah said, "I want to tell our booth workers that along with their family, they have to take 3 families with them for voting before 11.30 am, which means a total of 4 families and then nobody can defeat a BJP. We have to tell people about NC-Congress' division agenda. I did a press conference to expose NC-Congress' divisional agenda."

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday released the Bhartiya Janata Party's manifesto for the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections. The BJP has made 25 promises, focussing on women, youths, Kashmiri Pandits, restoring temples and wiping out terrorism. Jammu and Kashmir assembly polls will be held in three phases on 18, 25 September and 1 October.

There are a total number of 90 assembly constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir, out of which 7 seats are reserved for SCs and 9 seats are reserved for STs. According to the Election Commission of India, Jammu and Kashmir has 88.06 lakh eligible electors. These are the first assembly elections to be held in Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370. (ANI)