Amit Shah tears into ‘Three families that ruled Kashmir for 70 years’, Rules out talks with Pakistan

Addressing his first public rally in the Valley since the abrogation of the Article 370 that granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), Union Home Minister Amit Shah Wednesday ruled out any dialogue with Pakistan, even as he went all out to target the “three families that ruled Kashmir for seventy years”.

Shah also announced that the elections to the J&K Assembly would be held as soon as the Election Commission completes the process of revision of electoral rolls in the Union Territory.

“Some people are giving me suggestions that I should talk to Pakistan, those who have ruled here for seventy years are giving me suggestions,” Shah told the rally. “But I am clear, I don’t want to talk to Pakistan. I would talk to the Gujjars and Paharis of Baramulla. I will talk to the youth of Kashmir. They (Pakistan) have spread terrorism here. What good have they done for Kashmir.”

The rally was held at Baramulla, where multi-tier security arrangements have been put in place. It was attended by over 10,000 people, most of whom were from the border areas of Tangdhar, Uri and Bandipore. Some of them were government employees, who accused their senior officials of “forcing” them to attend the rally. Several layers of security had been placed around Baramulla and the traffic to the town was restricted from Sangrama, about 10 kms away from the venue.

Shah used a large part of his 25-minute speech to attack the “three families that have ruled Kashmir for 70 years”, identifying the third family, for the first time, as Gandhis.

“I saw a tweet of Mehbooba (Mufti) ji. She had said that Home Minister should go back only after giving account of (what they have done),” Shah said. “Mehbooba ji, listen with open ears and eyes, what we have done, we will give its account but what you and Farooq (Abdullah) sahib have done, you should give that account later… I have come here to ask you, Mehbooba and Farooq sahib, tell us how much investment has come to Kashmir in 70 years, how many industries have been set up, how many factories have been opened and how many youth have been given employment. (There has been investment) of only 15,000 crore in 70 years. In three years, Modi ji brought an investment of 56,000 crore”.

The Home Minister said the Modi government’s “biggest achievement” was to take democracy to the grassroots in J&K. “Before that democracy was limited to three families, 87 legislators and three parliamentarians,” he claimed. “We have taken it to villages, to 30000 panches and sarpanches.”

Calling the National Conference (NC) as “Abdullahs and sons” and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as “Mufti and company”, Shah charged that they allegedly gave stones and guns in the hands of Kashmiri youth. “Modi ji brought industry here and gave mobiles and laptops in their (youth’s) hands,” he said. “Gupkar model gave us Pulwama attack. Modi model gave AIIMS at Pulwama. Gupkar model gave stones and machine guns (in youth’s hands) and closed colleges whereas Modi model gave us IIMs, IITs, NIFTs and NEET.”

Shah listed the developmental works undertaken by the Centre in J&K since 2014 and highlighted the setting up of new medical colleges – announced during the Manmohan Singh government – electricity to every village, free health cards to the people among its key achievements.

He said terrorism in J&K has virtually ended and appealed to the people to join the mainstream. “The Modi government wouldn’t tolerate terrorism. Come and join the mainstream and be part of development,” he said.