Apparently setting the tone for next year’s LokSabha poll, the BJP’s national president Amit Shah launched a scathing attack on the party’s former ally PDP, saying that the Mehbooba-led government had discriminated against Jammu and Ladakh.
Addressing a large public rally in Parade area here on Saturday, Shah admitted that the situation in Kashmir was worsening but he hastened to add, “The PDP-led government failed to act.”
Implying that the PDP’s “soft approach” created a situation wherein the journalist ShujatBukhari, army man Aurangzeb and many others were killed besides the militant attacks on security forces saw a spike.
“We cannot be part of any such government that discriminates against Jammu and Ladakh regions and fails to restore peace. We will also not allow any such government to run in the state,” Shah said while addressing a public rally at Jammu.
Listing the reasons for BJP’s pullout from the government, and apparently addressing BJP’s core constituencies, Jammu and Ladakh, where the party won all the 3 parliamentary seats in 2014 elections, Amit Shah said that the Modi Government provided lot of funds for development in the state but for certain reasons, Jammu and Ladakh were “discriminated and ignored” by the PDP-led government.
He also said that the PDP did not honor the Agenda of Alliance and was least bothered to fulfill the commitments made in the AoA .
“We had formed the Agenda of Alliance with three main commitments that included equitable development of all the three regions of the state, eliminating militancy and restoring peace and the third being that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India”, he said.
The BJP president said his party gave enough room to PDP and had to finally part ways after four years. He said, “Almost all the major development projects and works in Jammu and Ladakh were stalled by the government and nothing was moving forward. This was not acceptable to us”.
Shah alleged that the PDP did not acquire land for Jammu AIIMS and delayed finalization of work at three out of five medical colleges sanctioned for the state. “Jammu’s IIM is also being deliberately delayed and the session of the students has been spoiled despite funds being provided by the Modi Government. The government did not do anything to make Jammu a smart city”, he said while blaming PDP for the same.
He expressed displeasures over what he described as PDP-led government’s deliberate delay in delimitation of constituencies, cash compensation to the tune of Rs 5.5 lakh to each family of refugees from West Pakistan. “The government did not even provide the details about west Pakistan refugees to the Modi government despite reminders.”
Explain ‘match in frequency’ with LeT: Shah to Cong
Attacking the Congress over controversial statement of GhulamNabi Azad on Kashmir, BJP chief Amit Shah on Saturday questioned whether there was a “match in frequency” of the party with the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) as the outfit “supports the leader’s comments”.
The BJP chief also attacked Congress president Rahul Gandhi over the recent comments of Azad and another party leader SaifuddinSoz and sought their apology.
Shah arrived in Jammu this morning to mark death anniversary of Jana Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mookerjee, days after his party’s decision to withdraw support from the PDP-led government in Jammu and Kashmir.
“Soon after fall of our government (in J&K), GulamNabi Azad, Leader of Opposition in RajyaSabha, gave a statement. I don’t want to even repeat his statement,” Shah told a rally here.
Shah said soon aftar he (Azad) gave the statement, Lashkar-e-Taiba supported his statement.
“I want to ask Congress President Rahul Gandhi that what kind of frequency matching is between the Congress and the Lashkar-e-Taiba that it (LeT) supported Azad’s statement,” the BJP leader said.
Shah said Rahul Gandhi should tell people about this.
“What relationship is this that ideologies of Lashkar-e-Taiba and Azad become similar? Should Rahul Gandhi answer or not?” he said.
Azad had reportedly said that army operations in Jammu and Kashmir killed more civilians than militants.
The BJP president said another Congress leader, SaifuddinSoz, says he agrees with former Pakistani Army chief General ParvezMusharaf that Kashmir should be given freedom.
“Soz, you can take hundreds of births, but the BJP will not allow Kashmir to be disintegrated from India. Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part and Syama Prasad Mookerjee has integrated it by laying down his life. You cannot change it (J&K being integral part of India),” he said.
Shah further said if they (Azad and Soz) have some self respect, the Congress chief should ask both the leaders to tender apology to the people of this country.
“Should Congress President apologise to people of this country? I want to reassure people of J&K that nobody can disintegrate J&K from India,” he said.
In his soon-to-be-released book, Soz has said that “independence” is the first choice of Kashmiris as he supported former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf’s assessment in this regard.
MEDIA SETTING WRONG NARRATIVE ABOUT GOVERNOR RULE: SHAH
The BJP national president Amit Shah Saturday said the media were not setting a right narrative after imposition of Governor rule in Jammu and Kashmir.
“We need to change the narrative as there are other development issues of J&K which must be deliberated and highlighted,” Shah said.
“Our security forces are capable enough and are doing their job.”
The BJP chief said his party was sure imposition of central rule will ensure equitable development of all the three regions of the state.