Jammu, June 6 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi has condemned Pakistan, stating it is the enemy of brotherhood, ‘Insaniyat (humanity)’ and Kashmiriyat, and that by executing the Pahalgam attack, it aimed to incite communal riots in India.
PM Modi was in Jammu on Friday, where he inaugurated a slew of projects, including two state-of-the-art bridges and the Vande Bharat train. He addressed a gathering in the Katra town, which he started by offering obeisance to Mata Vaishno Devi in the Dogri language.
“This is the land of Vir Zorawar Sungh, I salute his courage. This programme today is the mega celebration of India’s developmental journey. Kashmir Valley has been joined through the railway network. The slogan of Kashmir to Kanyakumari is a reality now. It is our policy to give maximum benefit to the new middle class that has been created after the poor people of this country worked hard enough to rise above the poverty line,” he said.
Attacking Pakistan during his address, PM Modi said that tourism gives employment and joins people, but unfortunately, “our neighbouring country is the enemy of humanity, enemy of brotherhood, enemy of tourism and enemy of poor people”.
“What happened in Pahalgam is a result of this attitude. Pakistan attacked Insaniyat and Kashmiriyat in Pahalgam. They wanted to create communal riots in India. They wanted to deprive poor Kashmiris of their livelihood. They killed the poor pony owner, who was earning a livelihood for his family. People of Kashmir rose against Pakistan’s conspiracy. They gave a strong message to terrorism and Pakistan. The youth of J&K are now prepared to challenge terrorism,” the PM said.
“Exactly one month before, we destroyed the structures created by terrorists in Pakistan. We went several hundred miles inside Pakistan to destroy the factories of terrorism. The Pakistan Army had never imagined that we could go that far. Whenever in future, they hear of Operation Sindoor, they will remember their defeat. Pakistan then decided to vent its anger by shelling civilians in Poonch and Jammu. They destroyed homes, mosques, churches and Gurudwaras,” he said.
PM Modi in his address said that government jobs were given to the next of kin of those killed in the Pakistan shelling. “2000 families became victims of their shelling. Financial support was given to the affected families. Today, I inform you that the Union government will increase this support. Each house heavily damaged will get Rs two lakh, and each house partially damaged will get Rs one lakh,” he said.
He said the government considers border residents as soldiers of the country, and 10,000 new bunkers will be constructed to ensure the safety of border residents from Pakistani shelling.
The PM said India plans to be among the top defence exporters, which will also increase employment. “We must preferably buy goods made in our country. We must encourage soldiers on borders and encourage Made in India in markets,” he said.
PM Modi said Jammu and Kashmir saw so much destruction that the people here had stopped seeing dreams. “They had accepted terrorism as their destiny. We have pulled J&K out of terrorism. Youth here are seeing new dreams and realising them as well. We saw this sentiment in the Mata Kheer Bhawani festival recently. Shri Amarnath ji Yatra will start on July 3, the joy of Eid is also around. We will not allow the progress of J&K to stop due to the Pahalgam attack,” he said.
“Narendra Modi promises you that development will not be allowed to stop. All hurdles will have to face Modi first,” the PM asserted.
Referring to the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project, the PM said the project is not just a name, but it is the proof of India’s excellence. “I inaugurated the Chenab and Anji bridges today. I also laid the foundation and inaugurated projects worth Rs 46,000 crore. These will give new speed and pace to J&K. I congratulate all of you for this new journey to progress,” the Prime Minister said.
“Centuries passed, seeing this dream. Omar Abdullah said he was in the 8th class when this project was announced, and today his dreams and the dreams of lakhs of people of J&K have been realised. It is destiny that has bestowed me with the duty of fulfilling dream projects,” PM Modi told the public meeting.
He said the COVID-19 epidemic slowed our pace for a while, but we did not relent. Vagaries of weather, shooting stones, etc., were challenges faced in making this project, but our government has decided to challenge the challenges.
A few months back Sonamarg tunnel was inaugurated. “While walking on Chenab and Anji bridges, I have literally lived through the courage and professional excellence of our engineers. Chenab Bridge is the highest railway arch bridge in the World. People go to see the Eiffel Tower in Paris, but now people will go to see Kashmir through this bridge, which in itself is going to be a big tourist destination. People will take selfies on this bridge. The Anji bridge is India’s first cable-stayed railway bridge. These bridges are not just cement and steel, but they are sentinels of India’s progress, and these depict our courage, resolve and honest intentions,” he said.
“Whether it is the Chenab or Anji bridge, these will help tourism and also help the economy of J&K. Industry will also get support. Apples from Kashmir will reach markets in the country on time and at much lower freight. This railway track will make it easy for people to go to the rest of the country. I was watching the comments of a villager living along this railway track. He said only those who had gone out of the village had seen the train, but no others in the village. A daughter told me today that the weather will no longer decide whether the road is open or closed,” he said.
“J&K is the crown of India, and your history, tradition, natural beauty, herbal medicines, fruits and the talent of your youth are all shining as jewels in the crown. I have been coming to J&K for decades. I have seen and felt the feelings of the people here. I am connected with the development of J&K. This place is going to be part of the knowledge hub that the county is becoming. IIM, AIIMS, NEET centre, central university are in this place. Two state-level cancer institutes are here. In five years, seven medical colleges have been opened. MBBS seats have increased from 500 to 1,300. “
He said that Reasi is also getting a medical college — the Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence. Donations from people from different places in the country have been used to make this medical college. Indoor capacity of Katra hospital has been increased from 300 to 500 beds,” the PM mentioned.
“In eleven years of the BJP-NDA government, the poor of the country got four crore houses; under the Ujjala scheme, 10 crore households got freedom from smoke; 50 crore poor benefited through the Ayushman health scheme; doors of banks have been opened; 2.5 crore got electricity connections, 12 crore toilets were constructed. Through the Jal Jeevan Mission, 12 crore people got safe drinking water. Under the PM Kisan Yojana, 10 crore farmers got direct financial support. In 11 years, 25 crore poor fought poverty and crossed the poverty line by rising above it. They are part of the new middle class,” the PM said.
He challenged those who do politics on the slogans of social justice and caste. “They must see who benefited in our 11 years of rule. These are my Dalit, adivasi, forest dwellers who benefited”.
PM Modi also released a postal stamp on the occasion that highlights the Indian Railways milestone of constructing the Chenab Bridge, the World’s highest railway bridge and the Anji Bridge, the country’s first cable-stayed railway bridge.
PM Modi also laid the foundation of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence, Katra, Rafiabad-Kupwara-Tangdhar-Chamkot Road (Package I) and Shopian Bypass on NH-444.
He inaugurated MORTH Projects, Sangrama Chowk flyover and Bemina Junction flyover through remote mode.
J&K Lt Governor Manoj Sinha, Union Minister for Railway Ashwini Vaishnaw, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, MoS (PMO), Dr Jitendra Singh, leader of opposition in J&K Assembly Sunil Sharma, deputy CM Surinder Choudhary, were present on the stage with the PM when he addressed a huge public rally at Katra stadium.
–IANS
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