Picture : Twitter/ ANI
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who is on a three-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir, had an eventful day on Tuesday when he addressed a large public meeting at Rajouri and launched several developmental projects later.
As per ANI report, Shah reached Jammu on Monday evening after which he met people from various communities including Gujjar-Bakarwal, Rajput, Pahari and Jammu Sikh.
He kickstarted his day on Tuesday with a visit to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine in Katra where he offered prayers. Notably, this was Shah’s first visit to the holy shrine after being appointed the Home Minister of the Modi government 2.0. His visit, which was accompanied by Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Union Minister Jitendra Singh, coincided with the ninth day of the ongoing Navratri festival.
Keeping the maintenance of public order in view, the J-K administration temporarily suspended the internet services in specific areas of Rajouri under the fear that the services will be “misused by anti-national elements, that may cause deterioration in public order”.
Shah addressed a public meeting in the afternoon at Rajouri which was echoed by cheers and slogans.
“Today’s rally in Jammu and Kashmir, slogans of ‘Modi, Modi’, all of these are answers for those who used to say that if Article 370 is removed, there will be a fire in Jammu and Kashmir, rivers of blood will flow,” said Shah.
The Home Minister said that the Gujjar, Bakarwal and Pahari communities will be soon given reservations.
“After the abrogation of Article 370, the process for reservation has been cleared. Justice Sharma’s commission has sent the report and recommended reservation for Gujjar, Bakarwal and Pahari communities and it will be given soon,” said Shah.
Stating that the reservation is being possible because of the abrogation of Article 370 and 35A, a move which was made on August 5, 2019, in Parliament.
“Would it have been possible to get a tribal reservation if Articles 370 and 35A were not removed? With their removal now, minorities, Dalits, tribals and Paharis will get their rights,” said Shah.
