Highlighting the Modi government’s development push in Jammu and Kashmir, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Tuesday that the Centre had given computers and employment to youth who earlier held stones in their hands.
The Union home minister, who launched development projects of around Rs 1,960 crore in Jammu, was referring to past incidents of stone-pelting which would be frequently reported from the valley. “After the abrogation of Article 370, people in J-K got benefits from various government schemes. Democracy is strengthened when people welcome the change. It is important to identify the three families of J-K which nurtured separatism instead of development,” Shah said.
He said the central government gave computers and employment to the youth who earlier held stones in their hands.
“Earlier there were stone-pelting incidents. But, no such incidents are there now. We have to understand the change that has come now. We identified those in the administration who were supporting terrorism and rooted them out. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken out ‘Jamhooriyat’ (democracy) from three families in Jammu and Kashmir and has taken it to the people through 30,000 Panchayati raj members,” said Shah.
In the 70 years since independence, the Home Minister said only Rs 15,000 crore were invested in Jammu and Kashmir, but since 2019, an investment of about Rs 56,000 crore has been brought in the erstwhile state.
Shah further said that the youth of J-K will benefit greatly from tourism. He said 50 lakh tourists have visited Jammu and 22 lakh tourists have visited Kashmir in recent months.
“Earlier the delimitation was done only for the benefit of three families. For the first time post Independence, there has been a real delimitation in Jammu and Kashmir now, due to which the people of the hilly region have got their rights,” Shah added.
Shah, who is on a 3-day visit to J-K, reached Jammu Monday evening after which he met people from various communities including Gujjar-Bakarwal, Rajput, Pahari and Sikhs.
He began his day on Tuesday with a visit to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine in Katra where he offered prayers. Notably, this was Shah’s first visit to the holy shrine after being appointed the Home Minister of the Modi government 2.0.
Shah is slated to hold a number of crucial meetings including the ones regarding the security situation in the region on Wednesday. He will review the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir at a meeting that is slated to be held at Raj Bhavan in Srinagar.
LG Manoj Sinha, top officials of the Army, paramilitary forces, state police and civil administration will take part in this high-level meeting expected to begin at 10 am tomorrow.
Before concluding his visit to the Union Territory, Shah will also launch and lay foundation stones for various development projects in Srinagar tomorrow afternoon.
