Time has changed, policies on Kashmir will now be made by Indians only: PM Modi

Kashmir Times. Dated: 10/20/2019 1:31:15 PM

ELLENABAD (Haryana), Oct 19(Agencies): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that the time has changed and the policies on Kashmir will now be made solely by the people of India and Kashmir without the interference of Pakistan.
“The calendars will not be decided by them anymore. Our enemy nation (Pakistan) cannot decide the dates for discussions on Kashmir. Only India will decide that. The people of Kashmir and India will formulate policies for the region. The ones sitting in enemy countries cannot decide the fate of India anymore,” PM Modi as having said.
The Prime Minister also blamed the Congress party for worsening the Kashmir issue all throughout its rule at the Centre.
“First the sleeping Congress government went on worsening the situation in Kashmir. In the initial days, some of our portions were snatched with Pakistan’s help. After that in a planned manner, Sufism, the tradition which Kashmir is known for, was slowly buried,” he said.
Blaming Pakistan for spreading separatism in Jammu and Kashmir, Prime Minister Modi said that there was a time when terrorists used to decide what would happen on any given day.
There was continuous injustice with Jammu, Ladakh, Kargil, he said and averred that lines of discrimination were drawn.
“The wrong policies of the Congress destroyed the country. The provision, which was temporary in the Constitution made by Dr BR Ambedkar, remained in force for 70 years.”
"The wrong policies and strategy of the Congress have destroyed the nation," he said, stressing that it was people of India and Kashmir who will frame policies now.
Justifying the scrapping of provisions of Article 370 for Jammu and Kashmir, Modi said, "Should Kashmir have been allowed to be destroyed for the sake of power in Delhi? Should Kashmir be more important or post of a prime minister? Every Indian's reply is the same that PMs will come and go, Kashmir has to remain and prosper."
He said for 70 years, "no honest efforts" were made to find a meaningful solution to the issue even after innocents kept dying in J&K while the jawans sacrificed their lives for the safety and security of citizens there.
He also accused the Congress of opposing the government move with regard to Jammu and Kashmir.
On the Kartarpur corridor, which links historic Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, the final resting place of Guru Nanak in Pakistan, to Dera Baba Nanak in Indian Punjab's Gurdaspur, Modi said it was nearly completion and the Centre had been making arrangements to celebrate the 550th birth anniversary of the Sikhism founder in a grand manner.
"The inability to bring the Kartarpur gurdwara within the Indian territory was a mistake made during the Partition," he said, adding that the Congress did not make efforts to ensure that devotees "were not separated from their guru".
"But the Congress and those parties connected with their culture, never gave respect to the belief, tradition and culture of the Indians," he said.
"What has been the Congress' approach towards our holy places, the same approach they had towards Jammu and Kashmir," he said.
Attacking the Congress, he said, "The government which was in slumber in Delhi worsened the Kashmir situation. Initially, a portion of our territory was snatched away from us and became Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir."
"A few years later, Kashmir's Sufi tradition was buried. Its roots were shaken," he said, stressing that the Sufi tradition of Kashmir gave the message of unity and brotherhood.
"But those sitting in Delhi could not see this. They thought if they take care of one or two families, Kashmir will be taken care of. Allow these one or two families to do whatever they want if they have to loot, let them if people are destroyed, let them be Kashmir will be controlled such things continued," said Modi in a stinging attack.
He said later "discrimination and injustice" started with Jammu, Ladakh and Kargil.
Referring to the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from the Valley due to militancy nearly three decades ago, Modi said, "Then a trick was played when more than four lakh Kashmiri Pandit families were forced to leave their homes in the Valley, a few of them were killed, their houses burnt down and some of the women were raped."
"Those sitting in Delhi turned a blind eye to what was happening in Kashmir," he said.
"And therefore, I ended this temporary provision. When you made me permanent for five years, why would I allow this temporary thing to continue," he said.
On the sharing of river waters with Pakistan, Modi said India would not allow its water to flow to Pakistan, saying for 70 years "our rivers kept flowing to Pakistan and our governments failed to act".
"You tell me, should we allow our water to flow to Pakistan. Is this acceptable that our fields remain parched while Pakistan remains green (harabhara)? How can it happen? You have the right over this water and I will not allow a single drop of water flow to Pakistan," he said.

 

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