Only Centre, Modi can return statehood to J-K, at appropriate time after polls: Amit Shah

“For the first time since Independence, the electorate of Jammu and Kashmir will cast their votes not under two flags, but under one – the Tricolour. For the first time, voting will take place not under two constitutions, but under the Constitution of India drafted by Babasaheb Ambedkar,” he said.

He ruled out any autonomy for J&K: “Listen to me carefully, no power can now talk of autonomy.’’

He questioned Rahul Gandhi and National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah on their statehood promise.

“Rahul Baba takes the pledge that he will give back statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. I want to ask Rahul Gandhi and Farooq Abdullah how will you give it back?” he said.

Turning to the crowd, Shah asked, “Who can give it back?”. The crowd responded with shouts of “Modi government’’.

“Why are you fooling the people of Jammu and Kashmir? … Only the Government of India and Modi ji can give it (statehood). I had said so as well in Parliament that we will restore statehood to Jammu and Kashmir at an appropriate time after the Assembly elections,’’ he said.

He said Gandhi and Abdullah were demanding what the government had already promised. “Have you ever seen, heard of such a thing before?” he said.

Maintaining that Abdullah and Gandhi’s parties will not be able to come to power in J&K, Shah said they were the ones who externed Maharaja Hari Singh from J&K and did not allow him to return. “His ashes came, but not the Maharaja,’’ he said.

“Should these people who insulted Maharaja Hari Singh win?” he asked, and the crowd responded with cries of “No”. He said it was the BJP which got a public holiday declared on the birthday of Maharaja Hari Singh.

He also played the Jammu card. “I have come to tell you that gone are the days when someone else used to decide which and whose government will be formed in Jammu and Kashmir. Now, it will be decided by the people of Jammu,’’ he said, urging party workers to go door-to-door and inform people about the “dangerous Congress-NC agenda” and “tell the Gujjar, Bakerwal, Pahari, OBC, Dalit that they (Congress-NC) want to snatch their reservation, tell youth that they (rival parties) want to bring back militancy and the general public that if the NC-Congress comes to power, they will have to go to Srinagar with a begging bowl’’.

With the abrogation of Article 370, Shah said, “mothers and sisters in Jammu and Kashmir have got their rights and this NC-Congress (combine) wants to withdraw it. They want to bring out of jail the stone-pelters and those involved in militancy… Will you allow militancy to return to the peaceful areas of Jammu, Rajouri, Poonch and Doda?”

He also appealed to the Kashmiri youth. “Many times you have given power in their hands. When militancy came, Farooq Abdullah and his family went to England,” he said, adding that it was the youth of the Valley who fought militancy.

Pointing out that 40,000 people died in violence unleashed by militants in J&K, he said, “There (leaders of rival parties) were people who used to become Chief Ministers whenever there was peace. When militancy erupted, they would go to Delhi Coffee Bar for coffee. Do whatever you want to do, but do not vote for NC-Congress as their agenda is to restore militancy and it will halt development of Jammu and Kashmir.’’

He said there will be no talks with Pakistan unless there is peace in Jammu and Kashmir. He also ruled out cross-LoC trade with Pakistan, saying its proceeds will be utilised to fund militancy.