Full statehood to J-K at appropriate time: Amit Shah

NEW DELHI: Article 370 gave rise to separatism and terrorism, while a ''new and developed Kashmir'' free from violence is being built under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah said in Rajya Sabha on Monday and stressed that statehood would be restored to Jammu and Kashmir at an appropriate time.

He also blamed the country's first PM Jawaharlal Nehru for the Kashmir problem, pointing to the ''mistakes'' of ordering an ''untimely'' ceasefire and taking the issue to the United Nations.

Speaking in Rajya Sabha hours after the Supreme Court upheld the abrogation of Article 370, Shah hailed the Monday verdict as historic and said there will now be only ''one Constitution, one national flag and one prime minister''.

He attacked the opposition, saying it is unable to see the change on the ground in Jammu and Kashmir after the scrapping of Article 370 and claimed the entire country has understood that it was first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru's ''mistakes'' on Kashmir that led to the suffering of people of J-K. ''Everyone knows that J-K's accession to India was delayed as one person was given this task and that gave Pakistan an opportunity to attack Kashmir. ''Had ceasefire not happened, there would have been no PoK,'' he said.

Asserting that the BJP will not show any large-heartedness when it comes to parting with even an inch of the country's land, he said that Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) was an integral part of India and no one can snatch it. ''Prime Minister Modi, myself, the entire cabinet and our party will not run away from owning responsibility for abrogating Article 370 in J-K,'' Shah said in the Rajya Sabha.

Replying to discussions on two new bills, he said they have ensured reservation of 24 seats to people from PoK in the J-K assembly.

''I want to assure the people of the country, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi has promised from the ramparts of the Red Fort, that the youth of Kashmir will no longer carry guns or stones and will instead carry laptops.

''The beginning of building a 'New Kashmir' has been made which will be free from terrorism. The foundation of a 'new and developed' Kashmir has been laid and when India becomes developed, Kashmir will stand equally among the other states, where tourists from across the world would come,'' he said ''We are committed to providing justice to the people of Kashmir, its youth and children. We are sensitive towards them and not towards terrorists,'' he said while attacking the Congress.

Shah was speaking on a day when a five-judge Constitution bench headed by CJI D Y Chandrachud, in a landmark verdict, unanimously upheld the Centre's August 5, 2019 decision to abrogate provisions of Article 370, while directing restoration of statehood for J&K at the earliest and holding the assembly elections by September 30, 2024. Noting that those who say Article 370 is ''permanent'' are insulting both the Constitution and the Constituent Assembly, he cited the SC decision which affirms that the J-K Constitution does not hold any more validity.

''I have already promised that the statehood of Jammu and Kashmir will be restored at an appropriate time,'' he said.

Shah alleged that Article 370 in J-K gave rise to separatism, which, in turn, promoted terrorism. ''There are other states with more Muslim population than Kashmir. But why only J-K was suffering from terrorism? It was because Article 370 led to separatism,'' he said.

Shah said people have rejected those who talk of separatism.

''Have you seen any large gatherings at funeral processions of terrorists after the abrogation of Article 370 in JK,'' he asked, asserting that the policy says terrorists will be buried at the place of their death.

''We have tried to finish the ecosystem of terror funding... We entered their home to take revenge for terror incidents in Uri, Pulwama,'' the Home Minister said, stressing that the government has no sympathy for terrorists.

In an apparent reference to the Nehru, Abdullah and Mufti clans, Shah alleged that three families deprived the ST and poor people of Kashmir of their rights as several laws were not implemented in Jammu and Kashmir earlier.

''They (Opposition) will not be able to see the change, there is a problem with their glasses. They are not ready to rectify their mistake... But people do not care anymore about them. The entire country has understood that it was Nehru's mistake,'' Shah said.

He accused the Congress of being against the other backward classes, saying that it was because of them that the OBCs did not get reservation under various schemes in Jammu and Kashmir, which the new bills have now ensured.

He alleged that the Congress has always been opposed to OBCs and their rights as they opposed the Kalekar and Mandal commissions too.

Shah targeted the Congress and INDIA bloc over the huge recovery of cash during income tax raids against a company linked to a Congress MP from Jharkhand, wondering why he has not yet been suspended by the Congress.

Shah was replying to an over four-hour debate on the JK Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill and JK Reservation (Amendment) Bill - that allow the nomination of two members from the Kashmiri migrant community and one representing the displaced persons from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) to the legislative assembly, besides providing reservation to certain communities in Jammu and Kashmir.

Parliament has now passed the two bills as Rajya Sabha cleared them with a voice vote on Monday after Shah's reply. They were passed by Lok Sabha last week.

The home minister said the two bills related to Jammu and Kashmir brought by the government would give justice to those deprived of their rights for the last 75 years and asserted that reservation to the displaced people would give them a voice in the legislature.

The opposition led by the Congress, however, walked out of the House midway during the Home Minister's reply. Shah informed the House that two crore tourists visited Kashmir post Article 370 abrogation, over 100 film shoots have taken place and three theatres have opened and another 18 are in the offing.

The minister said there has been a 70 per cent reduction in incidents of terrorism during the Modi government as compared to ten years of the UPA government. There were 7,217 terrorist incidents between 2004 to 2014 under PM Manmohan Singh, which have now reduced to 2,197 incidents in ten years of the Modi regime, he said, citing figures.

''The youth who used to carry stones earlier, the Modi government has helped them carry laptops now,'' he said, noting that the people of Kashmir ignore those who talk of separatism and terrorism under the guise of 370 and instead want the focus to be on development issues.

Just in hydroelectricity, he said the government has invested Rs 30,000 crore and is focusing on railway and other infrastructure.

After a gap of 30 years, Muharram processions in the Valley have taken place under the Modi government.

Talking about the abrogation of Article 370, Shah said it was a temporary article and had to go.

Shah said 42,000 people have lost their lives due to terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir so far and the government's focus was on ending the terror ecosystem.