Amit Ashah In Jammu And Kashmir: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday addressed a public rally in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri.
“Today's rally and your 'Modi-Modi' chants are answers to those who said if 370A will be abrogated, there will be a blood bath,” said the home minister at the rally.
"People of Rajouri and Poonch greet security forces," the home minister slammed the Opposition over the abrogation of Article 370.
The internet services in Jammu were shutdown ahead of Shah's rally in Rajouri.
Addressing another public event, Shah said earlier there were stone-pelting incidents, have you seen any such incidents now? No such incidents now.
"We have to understand the change that has come now...We have identified those in the administration who were supporting terrorism and rooted them out," the home minister added.
PM Modi gave computers and employment to the youth who earlier held stones (for stone-pelting) in their hands, he asserted.
"Record-breaking 50 lakh tourists have visited Jammu and 22 lakh tourists have visited Kashmir in recent months. Tourism will hugely benefit the youth of Jammu & Kashmir," said Shah
"After the abrogation of Art 370, people in J&K got benefits from various govt schemes. Democracy is strengthened when people welcome change. It's important to identify the 3 families of J&K which nurtured separatism instead of development," he added.
Earlier, Shah, who is on a 3-day visit to Jammu And Kashmir, offered prayer at Mata Vaishno Devi temple in Katra, Jammu on Tuesday morning.
Several delegations, including representatives of the Dogra community, called on Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday after he arrived here, officials said.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Union Minister Jitendra Singh were also present during the meetings, the officials said.
A delegation of the Dogra community, led by the Jammu and Kashmir unit chief of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Ravinder Raina, and also comprising senior party leaders Ajat Shatru Singh, Devender Singh Rana and S S Slathia, among others, thanked the Centre for declaring a state holiday on the birth anniversary of the last Dogra ruler of the region, Maharaja Hari Singh, on September 23.
Yuva Rajput Sabha and Amar Kshatriya Rajput Sabha leaders were also part of the delegation, the officials said. Sharing the pictures of the meeting on his Twitter handle, Shah said Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared a state holiday on the birth anniversary of Maharaja Hari Singh to salute his contribution in making Jammu and Kashmir an integral part of India.
"In Jammu, representatives of the Dogra community met and thanked Modiji wholeheartedly for the decision," the home minister said in a tweet in Hindi. Ajat Shatru Singh, a former Jammu and Kashmir minister and the grandson of Maharaja Hari Singh, handed over a portrait of the last Dogra ruler to Shah.
The officials said representatives of the Gujjar, Bakerwal and Pahari communities also met the home minister separately and discussed their issues with him. A Sikh delegation also called on Shah, the officials said.
Meanwhile, the murder of Jammu and Kashmir DGP (Prisons Department) Hemant Kumar Lohia at his residence in Jammu, once again raised the question over law and order in the UT. The shocking killing, claimed by Pakistan-backed terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM)'s affiliate People’s Anti-Fascist Front (PAFF), took place hours ago of Shah's visit to the district.
(With PTI inputs)
