"This election is going to end rule of three families in J-K": Amit Shah in Mendhar

Mendhar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], September 21 : Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday trained guns at the National Conference, Congress and PDP in Jammu-Kashmir, accusing them of spreading fear and terror in the Valley.

Addressing a gathering in J-K's Mendhar, just days ahead of the Assembly elections in the Union territory, Shah said, "Since 1947, in every war fought against Pakistan, the soldiers from this land, Jammu and Kashmir, have defended India. When terrorism entered in the 1990s, courtesy Farooq Abdullah, it was my Pahadi, Gurjar, and Bakarwal brothers who bravely faced bullets on the borders."
Targeting the Congress and National Conference and PDP's manifesto, which promises to restore Article 370 and bring back statehood in Jammu-Kashmir, Shah said, "This election is going to end the rule of three families in Jammu and Kashmir: the Abdullah family, the Mufti family, and the Nehru-Gandhi family. These three families had stopped democracy here. If Modi ji's government had not come in 2014, then panchayat, block and district elections would not have taken place."
"Abdullah, Mufti and Nehru-Gandhi family have spread terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir from the 90s till now. Today, the BJP government led by Shri Narendra Modi has ended terrorism from Jammu and Kashmir. The youth here have been given laptops instead of stones," he added.
Shah also highlighted the increased political participation of local youth, and said that "Due to Modi Ji's tireless efforts, today, around 30,000 Kashmiri youths are contesting elections at various levels, exercising their democratic rights."

Reflecting on the security situation, he remarked, "Do you remember how much firing used to take place in Jammu and Kashmir in the 90s? Does firing still take place now? Earlier, there used to be firing here because the masters here were afraid of Pakistan; now Pakistan is afraid of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. They do not have the courage to open fire, and if they do so, the bullets will be answered with shells."

Earlier, Leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi termed the withdrawal of the statehood status of Jammu and Kashmir as a violation of the constitutional rights of its people and assured voters that their vote to the INDIA alliance would restore their rights.

"For the first time in the history of the country, the statehood of a state has been taken away and it has been made a union territory - this is a violation of the constitutional rights of all of you, it is an insult to Jammu and Kashmir," Rahul Gandhi said in a post on X.

"Your every vote went to INDIA - Will restore your rights - will bring employment opportunities - It will make women stronger - Will bring you out of the 'Injustice Era' ...will make Jammu and Kashmir prosperous again. Today, come out of your homes in large numbers and exercise your democratic right - vote for INDIA," he said.

The Congress and the National Conference are fighting the polls in alliance. The PDP, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and People's Conference, to name a few, are other parties in the fray for 90 Assembly seats.

This is the first election in Jammu and Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370. Leaders have held hectic campaigns to boost the prospects of their party candidates.

Voting for the second and third phases in J-K will be held on September 25 and October 1, respectively. Votes will be counted on October 8.