Union Home Minister Amit Shah addresses a public meeting for the ongoing J&K Assembly polls, in Udhampur of J&K (PTI)
NEW DELHI: Union Home Minister Amit Shah asked terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday to give up arms and come forward for talks with the government, while reiterating that there will be no dialogue or cross-border trade with Pakistan.
Ahead of the third and final phase of polling in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly election next week, Shah addressed five rallies in poll-bound Assembly segments on Thursday and launched a scathing attack on the Congress, NC and PDP, accusing these parties of providing protection to terrorism over the last three decades.
Promising a terror-free Jammu and Kashmir under the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) regime, Shah, who is spearheading the saffron party's poll campaign, alleged that the National Conference-Congress alliance would implement Pakistan's agenda if it comes to power in the Union Territory.
At his back-to-back rallies in the Chenani and Udhampur Assembly segments in Udhampur district, Bani and Jasrotia in Kathua district and Marh in Jammu district, the home minister said terrorism has been buried by the BJP under the ground after the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution and it will not be allowed to stage a comeback.
The first phase of polling was held on September 18, followed by the second phase on September 25. The third phase, covering 40 seats in Jammu, Udhampur, Samba, Kathua and the north Kashmir districts of Kupwara, Baramulla and Bandipora, is scheduled to be held on October 1.
Extending an olive branch to the terrorists active in Jammu and Kashmir, Shah asked them to give up arms and come forward for talks with the government or be prepared to get neutralised at the hands of security forces.
"For vote-bank politics, they (opposition parties) are asking for talks with terrorists. If they (terrorists) want to talk, let them come forward after giving up arms. In the northeast, 10,000 people have surrendered," Shah told the gathering at Jasrotia.
"Give up arms and come for talks or our forces will hunt you down," the home minister said.
At Marh, he said the National Conference (NC), Congress and People's Democratic Party (PDP) are advocating talks with Pakistan and resumption of cross-border trade.
"They want to do 'ILU ILU' (I love you) with Pakistan…. We will not talk to Pakistan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has closed the trade that will not be resumed," Shah said.
He said Jammu and Kashmir bled for 35 years due to terrorism but when Modi took oath as the prime minister in 2014, Pakistan was given a fitting reply for terror acts.
"We finished terrorism by carrying out surgical strikes inside Pakistan in the aftermath of the Uri and Pulwama attacks," the home minister said.
At Bani, he said the BJP-led Centre will not even allow the "shadow of terrorism" over the hills of the Jammu region as it has taken concrete measures and strengthened the village defence guards to counter the threat.
Shah's remarks came as several hill areas of the Jammu region, including Doda, Kishtwar, Kathua, Udhampur and Reasi districts, have recorded a spurt in terror-related incidents since April.
"Let Pakistan do whatever it wants, we will not allow the shadow of terrorism in the hills of the Jammu region. We have strengthened the VDGs and youngsters in villages and given them INSAS rifles to fight terrorism," the home minister said.
Slamming the Congress, NC and PDP over their poll promises, he said these parties are talking about releasing stone-pelters and terrorists from imprisonment, but "I want to tell them that the right place for terrorists is in jails and we cannot allow anyone to set them free".
Seeking votes for the BJP candidates in the Jammu and Kashmir polls, Shah said if the saffron party registers an electoral victory in the Union Territory, it will be celebrated across the country.
"If the NC-Congress alliance wins, there will be fireworks in Pakistan. Do you want Pakistan to celebrate?" he asked the gathering.
The home minister said the opposition parties are talking about restoration of Article 370 of the Constitution and revival of terrorism, but "we will not allow this to happen, let their five generations come to fulfil this promise".
He said the BJP has strengthened grassroot-level democracy in Jammu and Kashmir, which is now moving forward on the path of development after suffering immensely due to terrorism for more than three decades.
"The NC and the Congress provided protection to terrorism for 40 years…. We have finished terrorism and opened new avenues of development for Jammu and Kashmir, which is marching ahead with the other parts of the country. We will not rest till terrorism is buried in 'pataal' (under the ground)," Shah said.
At Chenani and Udhampur, he said the world has its eyes on the Jammu and Kashmir election, which is taking place for the first time after the provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution were abrogated.
The home minister said whoever spreads terror in Jammu and Kashmir will get his answer at the gallows.
"I want to ask you, whether (Parliament attack convict) Afzal Guru should have been hanged or not? The NC and the Congress are now saying he should not have been hanged…," he said.
"They want to release stone pelters and terrorists. Omar Abdullah gave up these dreams because you cannot do it. It is the duty of courts and we have enforced such laws that nobody will dare to hurl a stone anymore," Shah said at the first rally at Chenani.
"This election is very important as Jammu and Kashmir was under the shadow of terrorism for nearly 40 years. If they (the NC-Congress alliance) win this election, it means the success of the Pakistan agenda," he said.
The home minister asserted that statehood will be restored in Jammu and Kashmir and it will be done by the Modi government.
Targeting the Gandhis, Abdullahs and Muftis, Shah said the three families ruled Jammu and Kashmir for 75 years but failed to strengthen democracy at the grassroots level in the region.
At the Udhampur rally, Shah said Article 370 was the biggest cause behind terrorism not only in Kashmir but in the Jammu region as well.
He said Modi has provided justice to the Jammu region, which faced discrimination for 70 years, and ensured the inclusion of the Dogri language in the list of official languages.