NEW DELHI – Incidents of pelting stones at state forces in Jammu and Kashmir have reduced by 40-45 per cent since the abrogation of provisions under Article 370, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Wednesday.
Speaking at an event organised by Republic channel, Shah said it took 70 years to abrogate the provisions and Prime Minister Narendra Modi resolved to do it.
He said until provisions under Article 370 were abrogated, it was impossible to defeat militancy in Jammu and Kashmir.
The home minister said Pakistan misguided the youth of the region, armed them and propagated militancy.
He added that India’s response is determined by Pakistan’s action and if they want peace, they’ll have to end terrorism.
Shah said the number of state forces deployed in Jammu and Kashmir today is the same as it has been since 1990.
Additional forces deployed there have been removed, he added.
From August till now, stone-pelting incidents have reduced by 40 to 45 per cent in Kashmir, the minister said.
Referring to his strong reaction in Parliament while presenting bills on Jammu and Kashmir in the last session, the minister said his aggression was not against any one person or party but against the mismanagement of the security situation in the country.
It is natural that the home minister of the country would react to such things strongly when the opposition questions the locus-standi of Parliament to make laws on this subject, he said.
On the issue of the Citizenship Amendment Bill, the Union minister said no other country will allow illegal migrants to settle down.
India, similarly, would also not allow any illegal immigrant to settle within its borders and thus, NRC is of utmost importance, along with bringing the CAB, he said.
The home minister said Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian refugees coming from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh because of religious persecution would be given Indian citizenship.
He said these three are Muslim countries and people of other religions have been facing religious persecution there.
These refugees take shelter in India to escape the situation, hence, they cannot be considered as illegal immigrants, Shah said.
Taking such refugees into India’s fold has been done in the country in the past by different governments as well, eg., for refugees coming from Uganda and Sri Lanka, he said.
The minister said the Ram Mandir issue had stalled for many decades and political parties have used it for their vote bank politics.
He said the Supreme Court has given an impartial judgment on the issue based on facts and not religious beliefs or faith and that has been welcomed by all religious beliefs and communities across the country, including the Muslims.
Shah said the government would abide by the Supreme Court order and even one day more than the allocated 90 days would not be taken to comply with the order.
The minister said as compared to Ram Mandir issue, Sabarimala issue is related to religious beliefs and faith and concerns with pilgrims praying in the temple.
Ram Mandir issue was a civil suit relating to a land dispute, he said.
The minister said political parties who are supporting Article 370 should come forward and name at least one benefit it brings.
On the triple talaq issue, he said India has a rich culture and tradition to engage in debate and discussion on any issue based on facts and figures.
The minister said as opposed to that, in the triple talaq issue, the opposition is up against this bold step taken by the government just for vote bank politics and their arguments have no basis in facts.
The government was committed to take this decision for the empowerment of Muslim women in the country, Shah said.
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