Amit Shah has bulletproof shield removed, tells J&K crowd want to speak frankly

Union home minister Amit Shah, on the final day of his three-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir, addressed a gathering at Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) in Srinagar on Monday.

He had the bulletproof glass shield removed while talking to the people of the union territory, saying he wants to “speak to them frankly”.

“I was taunted, condemned… today, I want to speak to you frankly, which is why there is no bullet proof shield or security here,” Shah said. This is his first visit to Jammu and Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019.

He also hit out at National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah for seeking talks with Pakistan, saying the government would rather talk to the youth of Jammu and Kashmir for making it the most developed in the country.

“I read in newspapers that Farooq Abdullah has suggested that the government should talk to Pakistan. He has a right to his opinion but we would rather talk to the Kashmiri youth,” Shah said in his address.

“The repealing of Article 370 had only one intention – to put Kashmir, Jammu and newly created Ladakh (Union Territory) on the path of development. You will see the fruits of our efforts by 2024,” the home minister added.

Article 370, which granted special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, was abrogated in August 2019 and the state was bifurcated into union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

Shah said that those who advocate talks with Islamabad and separatists should be asked what has Pakistan done in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

“Compare the development between this side and PoK. Do they have electricity, roads, healthcare and toilets. There is nothing (on the other side). You (Kashmiris) have the same rights as any other Indian,” he said.

Shah then remotely inaugurated several development projects, including a 500-bed hospital at Bemina, which has been completed at a cost of ₹115 crore. The home minister also laid the foundation stone for the Handwara Medical College, a ₹46-crore steel girder bridge over the Ferozepur Nallah in Baramulla district and road projects worth ₹4,000 crore.

The home minister said that ₹12,000 crore worth of investment has already come to the union territory and the government aims at a total of ₹51,000 crore by the end of 2022 to provide five lakh jobs to the local youth.

Shah said the schemes and the plans of the Modi government will ensure that Jammu and Kashmir will be the most developed province of the country.