Borders peaceful as Pak fears PM Modi: Amit Shah in J&K

Mendhar (J-K), Sep 21 (PTI) Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday said there is peace along the borders in Jammu and Kashmir as Pakistan fears Prime Minister Narendra Modi and would not dare to open fire knowing fully that India’s response will be befitting to silence its guns.

Addressing an election rally in this border area in the Union territory’s Poonch district in support of BJP candidate Murtaza Khan, Shah said the Centre wiped out terrorism by replacing guns and stones in the hands of youngsters with laptops and added the government would not allow guns to resonate in the hills of Jammu region.

“We will construct more bunkers along the borders for the safety of people. I want to remind you of cross-border firings in the 1990s… Is cross-border firing happening today?” Shah asked.

“It is because the earlier rulers here were frightened of Pakistan, but now Pakistan fears Modi. They would not dare to fire but if they did, they would be given a befitting reply,” he added.

Shah said that “terrorism erupted in 1990 and continued till 2014, claiming the lives of 40,000 people”.

“These three families failed to stop terrorism and instead encouraged it. The BJP and Modi put an end to terrorism and replaced the guns and stones in the hands of the youth with laptops,” he added.

Shah claimed that National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah is frightening people about revival of terrorism.

“I want to tell from here that despite your tutelage, Modi and Shah will not allow them to resonate in these beautiful hills again,” said Shah.

“Terrorism is of no benefit to anyone. Guns were handed over to our children and we too will be providing guns to Pahari youth by recruiting them in the police and army. For that we will held special recruitment drive on the borders,” he added.

Accusing the National Conference, Congress and PDP of encouraging terrorism, the senior BJP leader said this election will ensure an end to the three families rule in the Union Territory.

“It is necessary because these families never allowed the democracy to grow in J&K,” he said, adding had the BJP government not formed in 2014 and elections to different panchayat Raj Institutions held, the 30,000 elected panchayat members would have never got an opportunity but instead would have worked to further strengthen their ‘kingdom’.

The home minister said he is a person from Gujarat and had never thought of visiting Mendhar, which is just a few kilometers from the Line of Control.

“The people of the nation are proud and salute Paharis, Gujjars and Bakerwals who safeguarded the borders in 1947 and took bullets on their chest when terrorism erupted in 1990 because of the kindness of Farooq Abdullah, who fled to London to enjoy holiday,” he added.

Referring to the National Conference (NC) manifesto that they will review the reservation given to different communities, Shah said, “I want to assure you that we will allow them to touch the reservation under the scheduled tribe status to you. We will extend the reservation to promotion (avenues of the government employees).”

The senior BJP leader, who reached Jammu on a three-day election campaign on Friday evening, is scheduled to address four more election rallies in Surankote in Poonch, Thanamandi and Rajouri in Rajouri district and Akhnoor in Jammu district during the day.

The assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir are taking place for the first time after the abrogation of Article 370 and the bifurcation of the erstwhile state into two Union Territories – Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh — in August 2019.

The first phase of polling was held on September 18. The second phase will be held on September 25 followed by the third and final phase on October 1. The election results will be declared on October 8.