Amit Shah blames Gandhis, Abdullahs, Muftis for bloodshed, destruction in J&K [details]

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday blamed Gandhis, Abdullahs, and Muftis for the bloodshed and destruction in Jammu and Kashmir and alleged three families were responsible for the killing of over 42000 people from 1947 to 2014.

"For years together three families shamelessly looted Jammu and Kashmir and brazenly bulldozed democratic institutions just for personal gains," Shah said while addressing a massive gathering on the bank of the river Tawi.

"Democracy was never allowed to flourish by these dynastic political parties", he said, adding, "After the abrogation of article 370 democratic has been strengthened at the grassroots to empower people."

Pointing towards setting up three-tier Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) in J&K and the smooth functioning of the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), Shah said that democratic institutions were strengthened only after the abrogation of Article 370.

Lambasting Gandhis, Abdullahs, and Muftis for protecting Article 370, the Union Home Minister said that these families never allowed weaker sections and marginalized lots of the society to get benefits of various welfarist schemes launched by the Centre.

Dr. Mookherjee was murdered in J&K

Paying tributes to the founder of Bharatiya Jan Sangh (BJS), Dr Shayma Prassad Mookherjee on his death anniversary, Shah said that Dr. Mukherjee was illegally arrested in 1953 for entering into J&K without a permit.

"It was ironic that a former Union Minister was arrested for entering one of the states of India without a permit. Why need a permit for entering one's own country? he asked and added that the founder of BJP was jailed and later assassinated.

Shah said, adding that today the "soul of Dr. Mookherjee will be resting in peace as his mission and vision of Ek Vidhan, Ek Nishan, and Ek Pradhan stands fulfilled with the abrogation of Article 370.

The Home Minister said that Dr. Mookherjee was the first to oppose the inclusion of Article 370 into the Indian constitution on the pretext that "one nation can't have two flags, two constitutions, and two heads."

"On August 5, 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a big step and abrogated Article 370 forever and fulfilled the vision of Dr. Mookherjee," Shah said, adding that if West Bengal is with India today, it was due to the vision of Dr. Mookherjee.

Amit Shah assures no dilution in the existing quota

While assuring the Pahari-speaking people that their long-pending demand of Scheduled Tribe (ST) status would be fulfilled, Amit Shah assured Gujjars and Bakerwals that there will be no dilution in the existing quota as well as other ST benefits to the community.

Notably, while addressing a rally at Rajouri on October 4, 2022, Amit Shah had promised that ST status will be granted to Paharies, but not at the cost of the rights of existing scheduled tribes of the Union Territory.

He assured Gujjars and Bakerwals that this decision will not dilute the rights of the communities which are already enjoying the ST status. "There will be no effect on the reservation of Gujjars and Bakewals even by one percent," Shah reiterated today.