BJP will not occupy Kashmir Valley, we will win hearts: Amit Shah

Jammu, April 16 (IANS) Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will not "occupy" the Kashmir Valley but will win people’s hearts by loving them.

“Farooq Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti keep on saying that BJP will occupy the Kashmir Valley. We don’t occupy places. We win hearts. People in Valley can vote for anyone. They are under no pressure. We will win their hearts by loving them. We are not in any hurry. Lotus will bloom in the Valley in due course of time,” Home Minister Amit Shah said while addressing an election rally in favour of BJP candidate Jugal Kishore Sharma in Jammu.

He said that the National Conference (NC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have only exploited and destroyed the future of our youth. “People should not vote for them in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections,” he said.

Reiterating that assembly elections will be held in J&K on time as per the directions of the Supreme Court, he said that every vote cast in favour of the BJP candidates will make Narendra Modi the Prime Minister of the country for the third time.

“Let there be no doubt that assembly elections will be held as per the directions of the Supreme Court,” he said.

Amit Shah said that the sacrifice of Sayama Prasad Mukherji has borne fruit through the abrogation of Article 370.

“Sayama Prasad Mukherji said, ‘Ek Desh Mein Do Nishan, Do Pradhan aur Do Vidhan Nahein Chalen gay’ and today that evil shadow of Article 370 has been removed. J&K has been the biggest beneficiary of Modi’s government,” he said.

He said that there used to be stone pelting, bomb blasts, firing and Hartals announced by Pakistan in Kashmir.

“Today terrorism and separatism are taking their last breath. Those pelting stones now have laptops in their hands. Nobody has the guts to raise slogans in favour of Pakistan in Kashmir. This has been made possible by Narendra Modi,” he said.

He said that former J&K Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah had said that even if Modi becomes Prime Minister ten times even then he (PM Modi) would not be able to remove Article 370.

“Farooq Sahib, Modi has done it just in his second term in office,” the Home Minister said.

He said that former J&K Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti was saying nobody will ever shoulder Tricolour if Article 370 is removed.

“Mehboobaji, you and me will have to go one day but the tricolour will continue to fly high in J&K,” he said.

He said that Farooq Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti and Sonia Gandhi have only worked for their families while people in the Valley can vote for anybody they want but they should not vote for these parties who only care for their families.

“Narendra Modi established peace in J&K and ended violence and separatism after 70 years to open ways and avenues for progress and development. Last year, 2 crore tourists came to Kashmir. Make Modi Prime Minister again and 3 crore tourists will come this year. This is Modi’s guarantee,” Amit Shah said.

He said that people are getting cooking gas through cylinders and once Modi becomes PM again, people will get cooking gas through pipelines inside their homes.

He said that the BJP gave the reservation to Valmikis, women, OBCs, Gujjars and the Bakarwals and Paharis while NC and PDP were inciting Gujjars and Bakarwals by telling them that the reservations to Paharis would be given at the cost of reservations to Gujjars and Bakarwals.

“I had said in the Parliament that not 1 per cent reservation to Gujjars and Bakarwals would be slashed and we have proved this,” the Home Minister said.

He said Jammu city is the first city in the country where 75 e-buses are functional.

He said for years, there was a demand for one rank, one pension and Congress slept over this demand while the Modi-led BJP has fulfilled this demand as well.

He said that Jammu has 4 new medical colleges, 14 new nursing colleges, IIT, IIM and an AIIMS is also coming up in Vijaypur while a cancer hospital is coming up in Bakshi Nagar. Roads, flyovers and the world’s longest 11 km long tunnel have also been constructed in Jammu.

“25 new degree colleges and 2 new engineering colleges have been constructed in Jammu. Students are now coming from outside to study in Jammu,” he said.

He said 18 industrial estates are coming up in Jammu and investment worth crores is coming.

He appealed to the voters that they gave him a Dogri Turban to wear and now it is for them to ensure the honour and dignity of this turban by voting for the BJP.

He said Ram Navami will be celebrated on Wednesday and Lord Ram would celebrate this Ram Navami at his original place in Ayodhya after 500 years.

He ended his speech by raising the slogan, “Jahan Howa Balidan Mukherji Ka, Woh Kashmir Hamara Hai.”