After Article 370, J&K breathing freely, on path of growth: PM Modi

Arjun Sharma

Jammu, March 7

Promising the people of Jammu and Kashmir that the region will witness continuous development for years to come, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his first visit to Srinagar after the abrogation of Article 370, today said people of the country were giving a befitting reply to those who said he did not have a family.

“Those who could not see development of the country and J&K are launching personal attacks on me. They say Modi doesn’t have a family. But the country is giving them a befitting reply and people are saying they are Modi ka parivar (Modi’s family),” he said during a rally at Bakshi Stadium in Srinagar.

He said he always considered J&K as his family. “Kashmiris also say they are my family,” he said.

This was the PM’s second visit to J&K in the recent past as he had visited Jammu on February 20 and addressed a rally. In his nearly 27-minute speech, Modi did not touch upon statehood or the Assembly elections, but like his visit to Jammu, he launched an attack on the Congress and other regional parties, claiming that they misused Article 370 for their own benefit.

The PM said, “Modi will not leave any stone unturned to repay the debt of this affection from the people of J&K. I am doing all this hard work to win your hearts and I believe that I am on the right path. I will continue my efforts to win your hearts. This is Modi’s guarantee”. 

“Today, J&K is touching new heights of development and people are breathing freely but this time has come only after the abrogation of Article 370. The Congress and its allies misguided people of J&K on Article 370, which did not benefit the people of J&K but only some families,” the PM said, adding that after the Article was abrogated, the youth had started getting opportunities.

Targeting dynastic politics, the PM said the Anti-Corruption Bureau was still investigating thousands of backdoor appointments by then ruling parties in J&K Bank.

Modi also dedicated to the nation the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme worth about Rs 5,000 crore and launched multiple projects related to the tourism sector worth over Rs 1,400 crore under the Swadesh Darshan and PRASHAD scheme, including a project for the integrated development of the Hazratbal shrine in Srinagar. 

He also launched the “Dekho Apna Desh People’s Choice Tourist Destination Poll” and the “Chalo India Global Diaspora Campaign”, and announced tourist destinations selected under the Challenge-Based Destination Development Scheme, and distributed appointment letters to about 1,000 new recruits of J&K. He said there was a time when laws implemented in the country were not implemented in J&K and mentioned schemes for the welfare of the poor that could not be availed of by deprived sections. He said schemes for the entire nation had been launched today from Srinagar and J&K was leading the way for tourism in the country.

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