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Modi vows to fulfil Vajpayee's dream

Last Updated 22 November 2014, 19:47 IST

Urging people not to associate politics with communalism, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said he will fulfil the dream of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Kashmir based on “democracy, humanity and Kashmiriyat.”

Addressing his first election rally in the state in remote Kishtwar town of the Jammu region, he said: “Elect a BJP government here. I will fulfil the dream that Atal ji had for Jammu and Kashmir. His words — democracy, humanity and Kashmiriyat — have secured a special place in the hearts of Kashmiris and have ignited a hope in every Kashmiri youth.”

Modi said that now was the time to decide the future of the next generation. “We need to get rid of corruption and need a government that works with honesty. People want development, a better future for their children. For this, I have decided that development is our mantra. Our mantra is sabka saath, sabka vikaas,” he said and asserted that politics should not be linked to communalism, and a Kashmiri is a Kashmiri, irrespective of his religion.

In a scathing attack on the ruling National Conference (NC) and the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP), the prime minister said, “Who was responsible for harming the interests of the Jammu and Kashmir state? Will only two families rule the state? Do the people and youth of the state not have the capability to run this state?”

Without directly naming the Abdhullahs and Muftis, Modi said, “Both these families had a pact to loot the state in successive turns but now the time has come to change this.”
‘Growth is the agenda’

Modi said whenever he came to Jammu and Kashmir after becoming the prime minister, he came either to deliver development or to wipe the tears of people in distress.

“Let the whole world come to Kashmir once again. Let us make Kashmir developed and beautiful, let us bring Bollywood back to the Valley,” he said, amid loud cheers from the people.

“If Kutch can be developed, then so can be Kashmir. Kutch district, which has a dominant Muslim population in Gujarat, was considered as a punishment posting. I want to say now that it is now the fastest growing district in the country,” he added.

Modi said he had come to Jammu and Kashmir to reassure people that there would never be any shortage of funds for the state. “The state will never face any shortage of funds but it needs a corruption-free government, which could work for the welfare of the people.”

The prime minister recalled that he met some children from villages in Poonch-Rajouri districts recently at his home in Delhi.  “I was impressed by the spirit of the children of Jammu and Kashmir, who had great hopes and aspirations,” he said.

Earlier, reports said the prime minister arrived in Jammu in the early morning from where he flew to Kishtwar in a helicopter. Security had been tightened ahead of Modi's visit and multi-tier security cover was put in place.

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(Published 22 November 2014, 19:47 IST)

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