Abid Bashir
Srinagar, Sep 19: Praising people of J&K for coming out in large numbers to cast votes in the first phase of Assembly elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Thursday said that his ultimate mission is to give UT a complete freedom from the political fiefdom of three families—Abdullahs, Muftis and Gandhis.
PM Modi stated this in a jam-packed rally at Sher-e-Kashmir Cricket Stadium Sonawar in Srinagar. He started his speech in Kashmiri: “Myanin Saarni Keashren bayan, te benin chu mayne tarfe namaskaar (Namaskaar to all my Kashmiri brothers and sisters).
As the crowd yelled Modi, Modi, the Prime Minister thundered from the stage: “This is Naya Kashmir. Our endeavour is J&K’s progress and development. I can see today, my brothers and sisters shouting Khushamdeed PM (welcome PM). I am thankful to you all from the core of my heart,” he said.
Modi said in J&K, there is a festival of democracy underway. “Yesterday, seven districts witnessed the first phase of elections, first time, polls were held without the shadow of terrorism,” he said.
“It was really a proud moment that such a huge number of people came out to vote yesterday. Kishtwar witnessed 80 per cent polling, Doda over 71 per cent, Ramban 70 per cent and Kulgam over 62 per cent. This percentage has broken the previous record. J&K people have written a new chapter in the history,” Modi said.
He said that today the world is watching how J&K people are strengthening Indian democracy. “For this, I congratulate the people of J&K,” he said. About Statehood, Modi said BJP has promised the restoration of statehood to J&K and it will be done by BJP only.
Continuing his tirade against the three families, Abdullahs, Muftis and Gandhis, ever since, he stated that these three families were responsible for running J&K. “Since then, from Delhi to J&K, these parties have been feeling unnerved,” Modi said. “These three families have caused fear and uncertainty to people of J&K. But time has changed, we will not allow people to fall prey to the traps of these families.”
Modi said that his mission was to defeat terrorism and not to allow J&K fall prey to the family rule again. “These parties are responsible for depriving youth from going to school. These parties, NC, PDP and Congress are responsible for torching the schools. They destroyed the future of youth,” he said.
PM Modi said his mission is to provide ample opportunities to the youth of J&K so that they choose their future very much within their own place.
He said since 1980, these three families were treating J&K as their own “political fiefdom” as they were never interested in holding Panchayat, Block Development Council and District Development Council (DDC) polls. “They knew if they held these polls, new faces would emerge and they would challenge these parties,” Modi said.
He said Kashmir is a sacred place that was destroyed for 35 long years by the three parties. “This place has Hazratbal, Charar-e-Shareef, Khawaja Naqshband shrine, Shankar Acharya and Mata Zeethsha devi temple. But the three parties brought dark days to J&K,” Modi said.
He said that there was a time when Lal Chowk would shut before the sun set. “Going to Lal Chowk was like inviting death till the recent past. But the market remains open till late night now. Eid and Diwali are celebrated together with harmony. Electric buses are plying and everyone is earning the livelihood with honour,” Modi said, asking people “who did this all?.”
Modi said the three parties even didn’t spare Kashmiri Pandits and forced them to flee. “Sikhs too faced the wrath. They created hatred. BJP is uniting people once again by reducing Dil aur Dili ki doori,” he said.
Modi said in the past 35 years, 3000 days witnessed hartals and bandhs. “This means, Kashmir remained shut for eight years out of 35 years. But in the last five years, there was not even a shutdown for eight hours,” he said. He said the Government of India is mulling free power through PM Surya Ghar Yojna that promises a subsidy of Rs 80000 per family. At the end of his 40- minute speech, Modi sought votes for Sofi Yousuf, Er Aijaz Hussain and Arif Raja. “Come out in large numbers and break all recordings on September 25,” Modi urged people.
