Article 370 is history, will never come back: Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, on September 6 said that Article 370 is a part of history, and it will never come back while releasing the BJP's poll manifesto ahead of Assembly elections. 

He lauded the government's work over 10 years, stating that the period between 2014 and 2024 will be written in golden words whenever the history of India and Jammu and Kashmir is written.

Talking about the manifesto, Shah said that a new tourist hub will come up near Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri and 5 lakh jobs will be created in the valley.

Tourist centres will also be created in Jammu and the BJP will ensure the welfare of displaced communities, including Kashmiri Pandits, the manifesto said.

"We will launch the Tika Lal Taploo Visthapit Samaj Puranvas Yojana (TLTVPY) to ensure the safe return and rehabilitation of the Kashmiri Pandit community," a part of the manifesto read.

Amit Shah also said that the BJP will ensure complete eradication of terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, and that a white paper will be issued to fix the responsibility of those involved in the emergence of terrorism.

Releasing the manifesto, he said that the union territory shifted from "max terrorism to max tourism" in 10 years. Commending BJP for its work in the Kashmir valley, Shah said the party demolished the terror ecosystem.

"Terrorism and separatism continued in Jammu and Kashmir till 2014, and different state and non-state actors continued to destabilise the region. Besides, all other government did politics of appeasement to deal with the situation in Jammu and Kashmir," she said.

Shah said the BJP's focus will remain on restoration of peace in the valley.

Lashing out at the Opposition, Shah said other political parties indulged in appeasement politics and were "responsible for separatism".

Shah also attacked the poll manifesto released by the National Conference, attacked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and said, "I am surprised how can a political party release a manifesto like this, and how come a national party like Congress supported it unconditionally? I urge Rahul Gandhi to clear whether he and Congress support National Conference's agenda,"

Assembly elections will be held in Jammu and Kashmir for the first time since the scrapping of Article 370. The Union Territory will go to polls in three phases on September 18, September 25, and October 1. Election results will be declared on October 8.