Appealing to Kashmiri youth who have taken to arms to return to the mainstream, Prime Minister NarendraModi on Saturday said the only solution to any conflict was development. “We all should spend our energy on development of Jammu and Kashmir. Every issue and every conflict has only one solution – development, development and only development,” Modi said at a function at SKICC where he remotely inaugurated 330 megawatt Kishenganga hydropower project and laid foundation for Srinagar Ring Road.
In his 26-minute long speech Modi said there were “many powers” who don’t want the state prosper.
“We have to answer to these powers and move ahead,” the PM said, adding “those” helping violence in the state from across the borders were themselves disintegrating this time.
Modi said countries which followed violence were now trying to find ways to shun this path.
“The government will take all necessary steps to ensure J&K becomes crown of India.”
Under chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti’s leadership, the Prime Minister said, the PDP-BJP government and union government were trying to bring youth influenced by the “foreign powers and damaging their own land,” into the mainstream.
“There is no substitute to peace. Youth who had lost their way should return to the mainstream. The mainstream is their homes, their families, their parents and they have a role in development of the state,” said Modi, adding every stone and every gun raised by Kashmir youth was destabilising the state. “They (Youth) have a role to make Jammu and Kashmir proud,” said Modi. “We are the sons of same Bharat Mata and no power in the world can separate a brother from a brother and a mother cannot differentiate between her sons…”
Repeating his message that Kashmir issue can’t be resolved by guns or abuses but by embracing people of J&K, Modi said: “We have a policy, intention and we do not shy away from taking decisions. Whether it is the case of providing amnesty to hundreds of youth or Ramadhan ceasefire, the idea is that every Kashmiri should heave a sigh of relief and be part of peace and development.”
“(Former Prime Minister Atal (Bihari Vajpayee) Ji was a fan of Kashmiriyat and Modi is a disciple same Kashmiriyat.”the prime minister said reading a prepared speech from teleprompters.
The Prime Minister said New Delhi has appointed interlocutor Dineshwar Sharma who was meeting different representatives and organisations.
“Whosoever wants to say anything should meet him (Sharma). He is talking to everyone to strengthen peace process. Our government is not leaving any stone unturned but for keeping Kashmiriyat and Jhamooriyat alive you all have to play a role,” Modi said. Stating that it was love and affection of people of J&K that brings him to the state often, Modi said J&K of the 21th century was going to be a model of progress and prosperity and that a time would come soon when the state would re-emerge as crown of peace and progress for entire country.
“A new Jammu and Kashmir and a peaceful Jammu and Kashmir would make India strong,” Modi said.
He said the ceasefire announcement was a message to those who are “misusing Islam to perpetuate terrorism”.
“The holy month of Ramadhan is the time when we re-dedicate ourselves to the teachings of Prophet Muhammad. It’s an honour that I am here during the holy month of Ramadan.”
Terming Kishenganga project as engineering marvel, Modi said the project was the beginning of a new era and it would help address power scarcity in the state. He said 42-kilometer Srinagar ring road project which would be built at cost of Rs 1200 crore would make lives of people easier.
To usher change in lives of people, Modi said, it was necessary to ensure equitable development of all three regions of the state. In this regard, he said of Rs 80,000 crore developmental package that was sanctioned for the State two-and-a-half years ago, Rs 63000 crore worth of projects have been approved and Rs 20,000 crore has been spent.
He again praised five year old Jannat, a resident of Dal Lake whose video of her cleaning the water body had gone viral.
Modi also appreciated Bandiporagril, Tajamul who, he said brought laurels to the country in kickboxing. “This is the reason why our government is in partnership with Jammu and Kashmir government and is trying to promote the state’s sporting talent and build sporting infrastructure.” He said for providing education and employment to the youth, efforts were being made consistently, adding a plan was being drawn up for providing job opportunities to over 60,000 school and college dropouts.
Modi said five Indian Reserve Police battalions would be raised for making the police force stronger and generate more employment for local youth. The Governor NN Vohra, the Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, union ministers RK Singh and NitinGadkari, Deputy Chief Minister Kavinder Gupta and opposition National Conference President Farooq Abdullah were among others who attended the function.