Three Dynasties Destroyed J-K: PM Modi

Srinagar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that the fight in Jammu and Kashmir is between unscrupulous political dynasties and its emergent youth, who are giving a new direction to politics and want to serve the people with zeal. He accused the three dynastic parties -- the Congress, the NC and the PDP -- of preparing the ground for militancy and assured terrorism is taking its last breath in the region. The PM also reiterated his government's promise of restoring statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.

Addressing a BJP rally in a jam-packed sports stadium in Doda, the Prime Minister said that it is for the people of the Union territory to make the choice and who they should vote for in the upcoming Assembly elections.

“These elections will decide the fate of Jammu and Kashmir. The parivarvad hollowed out and destroyed this beautiful state. The very political parties the people trusted in did not care about your children but thought only about their own offspring,” he said.

Mr Modi added: “It was because of the dynastic politics and the misrule of these parties that Jammu and Kashmir went in harm's way and became the target of outside powers. They misled you...you became the victim of terrorism, but their families lived their lives to the full.”

The Prime Minister, who was addressing a BJP rally in Doda, the main town of J&K’s Chenab Valley, accused the three political dynasties -- the Gandhis, the Abdullahs and the Muftis -- of ruining the lives of the people of J&K. He said: "They never allowed the young people to develop as leaders, build their self-confidence and chase their dreams.”

The Prime Minister said that the times, however, changed with the BJP assuming power at the Centre in 2014. Post-August 5, 2019, J&K witnessed a new era of peace and development. “We took democracy to the grassroots level by holding panchayat, BDC, DDC and other urban and rural bodies’ elections and encouraged people, particularly the youth, to take part in the decision-making process.”

Attacking the Congress, the NC and the PDP, Mr Modi said, “These political dynasties did not want a new leadership comprising the youth of J&K to come forward and take the lead. They did not want to see them in politics. But the credit for the development J&K saw in the past few years goes to these youth who came forward and resisted such forces.”

He added: “Today, I salute the josh o jazba (evangelism) of the youth of J&K -- its daughters and sons.”

Mr Modi said that it is the BJP that will restore J&K’s statehood.

He said the Assembly elections being held in J&K are a contest between the dynastic parties and these promising youth. “In these Vidhan Sabha elections there are three families on one side and, on the other, the youth of J&K -- my own sons and daughters who have dreams of a better future. What these three families together did with you is not less than a sin. They are responsible for the destruction J&K witnessed in the past many decades. They promoted corruption here…they encouraged the land mafia for their own benefit but made you feel deprived of and pine for smaller facilities, the things you required and deserved as well. The government jobs would go to their own duckies,” he said.

The Prime Minister accused three “dynastic political families” of preparing the ground for terrorism in J&K, which only helped the enemies of India. “They did the necessary groundwork for terrorism here so that their shops worth billions and trillions (of rupees) could run smoothly. As a result of their sinful acts and vote-bank politics, thousands of our children lost their lives. This land is witness to the mayhem.”

The Prime Minister asserted there were times when the shops here were close before the sunset, unofficial curfews were imposed off and on, and with that, life would come to a standstill. He added that when the Congress was in power at the Centre, even its home minister was frightened to go to Lal Chowk (Srinagar’s city centre).

Mr Modi reassured the people of J&K and the rest of the country that terrorism in the region was taking its last breath. Reiterating that the past decade witnessed many positive changes in J&K, he appealed to its people to throw their weight behind the BJP in these elections so that “together we make Jammu and Kashmir a secure and prosperous part of the country”.

At the rally, the Prime Minister said that there was a time when stones were thrown at the police and Army personnel in Kashmir, but then “a new Jammu and Kashmir began to be built with the same stones”.

Engaging the audience at the rally, Mr Modi asked the crowd thrice -- "Who made it happen?" The crowd yelled back, "Modi, Modi, Modi.” But the Prime Minister was quick to correct them; he said, “No, it was not done by Modi, but the people of Jammu and Kashmir, the people of Doda.”

He added that the BJP has, in order to strengthen the people’s faith in it, taken many resolutions, including launching soon the Tika Lal Taploo scheme to help the people in many spheres.

Tika Lal Taploo, a Kashmiri Pandit and BJP leader, was killed by terrorists in Srinagar on this day more than three decades ago. This scheme will be a tribute to his supreme sacrifice, he said.

The Prime Minister said that after his assassination, the Kashmiri Pandits went through difficult times and had to face a long atrocious period. “It was the BJP that raised the voice for the Kashmiri Hindus and worked for them and their rehabilitation. If voted to power, the BJP will step up the effort to get their rights restored,” he said.

Reiterating the dominance of three families in J&K’s political arena did not allow its youth to come forward. The Prime Minister said, “That is why post-2014 I made concerted efforts to bring forth the new leadership of youth. Later in 2018, panchayat elections were held, followed by BDC and DDC elections in 2019 and 2020. After these local bodies’ elections, around 30,000–35,000 youth came into politics and took control.” He said that the BJP is going to make J&K “terrorism-free and a paradise for tourists”.

Mr Modi also said that the government will release a white paper on the killings that took place in J&K in the past over three decades and also fix the responsibility.

Presenting the BJP-led government’s report card on J&K, Mr Modi said it is the place where every family is getting free healthcare up to `5 lakhs. “It will be increased to `7 lakhs.

We will have direct trains from Delhi to Srinagar via Ramban. We are connecting every corner of J&K with the railway,” he said, ading that J&K will be a global film destination and there will be a direct train from Delhi to Srinagar soon.

The Prime Minister said: “Tourism is flourishing again in J&K. Hotels and restaurants are open. Film crews from across the country and abroad are coming here again for outdoor shooting. We have made a new film policy. We will provide a travelling allowance for college students. There was a time when J&K's youth were forced to move out of the state for good education. You have now a chain of professional colleges like the AIIMs, the ITIs here.”

Criticising the manifestos of the Congress, the NC and the PDP, Mr Modi said people have to choose between the BJP’s Sankalp Patra and other parties’ manifestos that advocate the return of the bad old days again.

“Other manifestos call for return of Article 370 and rollback of reservations to Paharis, Gujajrs and Bakarwals. They also advocate snatching the voting rights of Valmikis and Dalits," he said.