Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday stressed that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the entire Parliament strongly believe that Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) is an integral part of India.
He also stressed that both Muslims and Hindus living there are Indians.
In an interview to JK Media Group, Amit Shah said, “Muslim and Hindu brothers living in PoK are Indians. The land which Pakistan has illegally occupied belongs to India. “Getting it back is the goal of every Indian and every Kashmiri.”
Apart from this, the Union Home Minister also urged the youth of Jammu and Kashmir to stay away from the conspiracies of Pakistan. He said, “Today Pakistan is surrounded by hunger and poverty.
The people there also see Kashmir as heaven. I want to tell everyone that if anyone can save Kashmir, it is Prime Minister Modi.”
Also consider taking AFSPA Wasp
Amit Shah also said on Tuesday that the central government will consider withdrawing the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) from Jammu and Kashmir. Shah also said that the government plans to withdraw troops in the Union Territory and leave law and order to the Jammu and Kashmir Police alone.
He said, “Our plan is to withdraw the troops and hand over law and order to the Jammu and Kashmir Police. Earlier, Jammu and Kashmir Police was not trusted, but today they are leading the operation. On the controversial AFSPA, the Home Minister said, “We will also think about removing AFSPA.”
What is AFSPA?
AFSPA gives broad powers to armed forces personnel operating in disturbed areas to search, arrest and open fire if necessary to “maintain public order”.
Shah had earlier said that AFSPA has been lifted in 70 per cent of areas in the northeastern states, though it remains in force in Jammu and Kashmir. Various organizations and individuals from Jammu and Kashmir and North-Eastern states have demanded the removal of AFSPA.
When will elections be held in Kashmir?
Shah said that assembly elections will be held in Jammu and Kashmir before September. He said, “Establishing democracy in Jammu and Kashmir is the promise of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and it will be fulfilled.”
However, this democracy will not be limited to only three families and will be a people’s democracy.
Shah claimed that National Conference (NC) leader Farooq Abdullah and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti tried their best to create bitterness over these reservation provisions but people have now understood their intentions. He asked why NC did not give reservation to these people in the last 75 years.
The Home Minister claimed that Abdullah had gone to England when terrorism was at its peak. He said, both Abdullah and Mehbooba have no right to speak on this issue. Shah also said that Hurriyat Conference has no place in the dialogue process.