Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday that thosetrying to spread hate and obstruct development works in Kashmir will neversucceed as he cited a recent government exercise to assert that power ofdevelopment is stronger than the might of bullets and bombs.
In his monthly ‘Mann ki baat’ broadcast, he said the”Back to village” programme held in June in Jammu and Kashmir sawenthusiastic participation of villagers everywhere, including in very sensitiveand remote villages, as government officials reached there to discussdevelopment schemes with locals.
“It shows how keen people of Kashmir are to join mainstreamof development… Such programmes and people’s participation in them show thatpeople of Kashmir want good governance. This also proves the dictum that thepower of development is stronger than the might of bullets and bombs,” hesaid.
“It is clear that those who wish to spread hatred enroute to development, pose hurdles will never succeed in their sinisterplans,” he added.
For the first time, the prime minister said, seniorofficials reached the doorsteps of villagers across 4,500 panchayats.
These officials also reached villages on border which liveunder the shadow of cross-border firing, he said, adding that they also visitedsensitive villages in the districts of Shopian, Pulwama, Kulgam and Anantnag-districts which have seen heightened militant activity of late, without anyfear.
Modi also noted that over 3 lakh pilgrims completed theAmarnath yatra since July 1 and said it has already outnumbered the number ofdevotees during 60 days in 2015.
Hailing the hospitality of the people of the state, he saidit will boost tourism.
In the Chardham yatra in Uttarakhand too, large numbers oftourists have visited holy sites, he said, adding that over eight lakh devoteeshad visited Kedarnath shrine, a record number post the massive 2013 floods thathad devastated the region.
In his 25-minute address, Modi asked people to celebrateAugust 15 with special preparations and find out new ways to observeIndependence Day with greater participation of masses.
“You must ponder over the fact how 15th August could becelebrated as a folk-festival and also as a people’s festival,” he said.
Speaking of floods in different parts, he said the Centre intandem with state governments is working at a “lightning pace” toprovide people relief and succour.
The issue of water conservation has stirred the nation, hesaid, and lauded the Meghalaya government to frame a water policy and theHaryana government for encouraging farmers to shift to cultivating crops thatneed less water.