New Delhi, Sep 26 (IANS): Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday will lead the BJP's campaign for the third phase of Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir.
Shah will address five rallies. He will begin the day with a rally in Chenani and proceed to address a meeting at Udhampur. He will then address rallies in Bani and Jasrota before ending the day with an address to a public gathering in Madh.
The third phase of the polls in the Union Territory will be held on October 1.
Asserting that there is no fear of cross-border firing in border areas of J&K, Amit Shah said on Sunday that if Pakistan fires a bullet, it will be responded by a mortar shell.
Addressing a campaign rally in Nowshera of Rajouri district, he said: "Concrete bunkers have been made in border areas like Nowshera by us, but I assure you that these bunkers are not needed now."
The Union Minister said: "Agar Woh Goli Chalayenge, To Hum Gola Chalayenge" (There will be no cross-border firing from Pakistan, and if they fire a bullet, we will respond with a mortar shell).
Slamming the Congress and National Conference, he said: "Congress and National Conference (NC) do not want reservations for Gujjars, Bakarwals, Paharis, OBCs, Valmiki Samaj etc, they say they will review these reservations if they form the government in J&K."
"Rahul Gandhi said in America recently that the reservations are not needed in India as those given reservations have progressed enough and are now part of the creamy layer in the country," he said.
Hitting out at NC leader Farooq Abdullah, the Union Home Minister had said: "Farooq Abdullah went to Poonch and Rajouri and told Gujjars and Bakarwals that if the Paharis got the reservation, they would cut into the Gujjar Bakarwal reservations."
He said: "The NC and Congress governments in J&K and Delhi did not give you reservations. I promise you that after these elections, we will give Paharis reservations in promotions also so that your children do not become only collectors and district SPs in the future, but chief secretaries and DGPs as well."
He challenged NC leader Omar Abdullah and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi that "even if they hang themselves upside down, they cannot snatch your reservations as long as Narendra Modi is the PM of the country."
Claiming that NC wants to get their flag in place of the Tricolour and that Farooq Abdullah has been telling people in the Pir Panjal region and those in Poonch and Rajouri that terrorism will spread to these places, he said: "The government headed by Narendra Modi will bury terrorism so deep under the earth that it can never emerge again in J&K.
Attacking the NC and Congress for wanting the Modi government to talk to Pakistan, the Union Minister said that there can be no dialogue with Pakistan till terrorism ends completely.
He assured the people that no terrorist or stone pelter would be released from jail.
Home Minister Shah asserted that they (NC-Congress) want to change the name of Shankaracharya Hillock to 'Takht-e-Suleman' and that of Hari Parbat Hillock to 'Koh-e-Maran', but "since generations, it has been Shankaracharya hill and Hari Parbat Hill and it will continue to be the same for all the generations to come".
He appealed to the voters of Nowshera to elect BJP candidate Ravinder Raina, saying, "His forceful voice is heard and taken seriously in Delhi".
"Gandhis & Abdullahs sell terrorism from their so-called ‘Mohabat Ki Daukan’, let the elections be over in J&K and their ‘Mohabat Ki Daukan’ will be shut forever," Home Minister Shah said.
"Farooq Abdullah should not worry, after the elections, we will publish a white paper on terrorism which will expose those who ate 'Biryani' with the terrorists," he said.
Highlighting the changed security scenario in Jammu and Kashmir after BJP-led NDA came to power, he said there were times when even the Home Minister of the country could not dare go to the Lal Chowk in Srinagar.
"I assure you today, go to Lal Chowk with your grandchildren in a private vehicle and nobody will dare touch you. A cinema hall was started in Srinagar after 30 years, Muharram procession was taken out after 35 years. Janmashtami procession was taken out there after 35 years," he said.
"You have areas in Jammu region where you have good snowfall, but there is no tourist destination like Pahalgam there. I promise you two Pahalgam-like tourist destinations in the mountainous areas of the Jammu region.
He also promised to increase the limit of golden card for free health treatments from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh and farmers' assistance from Rs 6,000 to Rs 10,000.
He said that PM Modi has decided that every village with a population of 50 people will now be connected through Pradhan Mantri Graming Sadak Yojana, benefitting the populace living in far-off mountainous areas.
"We have given 40,000 government jobs in the last five years, we promise to give Rs 18,000 to every eldest lady of the family each year. We will restrict the cost of LPG cylinder to Rs 500.
He promised two LPG cylinders free on Raksha Bandhan every year, a metro and international airport in Jammu, a water sports facility in Ranjit Sagar dam, reduced electric tariff by 50 per cent, Rs 3,000 to college students as travel allowance, laptops and tablets to children upto higher secondary level.
The Union Minister said: "Udhampur will become a pharmaceutical hub, we will form a hill development board for speedy development of hilly areas in Jammu division.