JAMMU, Mar 29: Union Home Minister Amit Shah has said that many parameters have to be assessed but the Central Government is committed to restore Statehood to Jammu and Kashmir though he declined to give any timeline for this.In an interview to a national English news channel last night, Shah, in response to a question that now when Assembly elections have been conducted successfully when Statehood will be given to Jammu and Kashmir, said there are certain parameters which have to be assessed.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi and myself have made commitments on floor of the Parliament that Statehood will be given to Jammu and Kashmir,” Shah said.
When pressed by the interviewer for the timeline for grant of Statehood, the Home Minister said this can’t be done on the television interview.
Omar Abdullah-led National Conference Government had in the very first Cabinet meeting in October last year passed a resolution demanding restoration of Statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. The resolution was personally handed over by the Chief Minister to both the Prime Minister and the Home Minister.
A series of resolutions seeking restoration of Statehood to Jammu and Kashmir are also listed in second part of the Assembly session from April 7-9.
When Article 370 was abrogated and the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir was bifurcated into two Union territories in 2019, Shah had said in Parliament that Statehood of Jammu and Kashmir would be restored at an appropriate time.
Asserting that not only the Assembly elections were held successfully in Jammu and Kashmir, Shah said this was the first election after 40 years in which no re-polling was held. Also, this was the first election after 40 years when not a single teargas shell or bullet was fired, he added.
“It was after a long time that 60 percent turnout was recorded in Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections-whether it was the Valley or Jammu region, which is a major change,” the Home Minister said.He said those who won the elections are running the Government.
Omar Abdullah’s National Conference won 41 seats in 90-member House just five short of majority on its own. However, NC has the backing of six Congress MLAs and lone CPM MLA, who were pre-poll allies of the party.
Later, five Independent MLAs also extended support to the National Conference Government.
PTI adds: Union Home Minister Amit Shah has exuded confidence the BJP will remain in power at the Centre for at least 30 years due to its consistent performance.
In a democracy, he said, the victory of any party depends on its hard work and if it toils day in and and day out and “if you live not for yourself but for the country, victory will be yours”.
“When I was the national president of the BJP, I had said the BJP will remain in power for the next 30 years. Only 10 years have gone now,” he said.
The senior BJP leader said when a party performs well, it gets the trust of the public and the confidence to win. “But those who do not perform do not have this confidence,” he said.
Asked about the Uniform Civil Code, the Home Minister said all BJP-ruled States will introduce the UCC one-by-one as it is one of the key agendas of the BJP since was formed.
The Home Minister said since its inception, the BJP’s resolve has been to introduce the UCC in the country.
Shah came down heavily on Congress MP Rahul Gandhi for his criticism of the Parliament’s functioning, saying at the allotted time to speak in the Lok Sabha, the Leader of Opposition was in Vietnam.
Shah also described the 4-per cent quota on contracts announced by the Congress Government in Karnataka as a “lollipop” for Muslims.
Shah said any reservation on the basis of religion is a violation of the Constitution and would be struck down by courts.
“We strongly oppose any quota on the basis of religion,” he said.
On Gandhi’s criticism of the functioning of Parliament, the Home Minister said the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha perhaps does not know that there are rules for speaking in the House, which cannot be run through whims and fancies.
“He (Gandhi) was given 42 per cent of the time in the discussion on the budget. Now, it is up to him to decide who would speak.
“But when a serious discussion was going on in Parliament, he was in Vietnam and when he returned, he started insisting on speaking as per his wish,” Shah said.
He said Parliament runs in accordance with rules and procedures, not like the Congress party, which is run by a family and “where you can speak whenever you want”.
Tamil Nadu was once a very progressive State but it has fallen prey to a chaos due to the policies of the DMK Government which has made people upset and they are ready to uproot it in the next Assembly polls, Shah said.
He also termed the ruling DMK “anti-Tamil” saying the Tamil Nadu Government is yet to start Medical and Engineering education in Tamil language and has not even translated the books into Tamil.
Shah exuded confidence that an NDA Government will come to power in the southern state after the 2026 Assembly polls.
He alleged that the DMK Government in Tamil Nadu has only engaged in corruption, due to which industries and youngsters are migrating from the State.
Shah said the situation in Manipur is now relatively peaceful and the Government is holding discussions with the Meitei and the Kuki communities, who are also talking among themselves, for establishing lasting peace.
He also said the President’s rule was imposed in Manipur at an appropriate time to restore normalcy in the State.
“Now situation is relatively peaceful. Normal life has resumed. The Home Ministry has held separate meetings with both the communities. Both the communities have also talked to each other. Gradually things are moving in positive direction. There is no reason for worry now,” he said.
The Home Minister said this is not the first time the State is witnessing ethnic violence. It has endured such strife in the past, and even for longer durations like three to four years, he said.
