BJP believes in winning hearts, not occupy by force, says Shah

UNION HOME Minister Amit Shah Tuesday claimed during an election rally that there is false propaganda against the BJP and said, “we are not those who occupy by force, but believe in winning the hearts of the people”.

Shah was campaigning for the party’s Jammu-samba parliamentary constituency candidate Jugal Kishore Sharma.

Urging the youth of Kashmir to vote for anyone except the Congress, NC and PDP as “they work only for their own sons and daughters”, he said there is a false propaganda that “BJP Kashmir ki dharti par kabza karna chahti hai (BJP wants to occupy Kashmir by force)”. “I want to dispel this misgivingbeingcreatedamongkashmiri youth. We are not those who occupy by force, but believe in winningtheheartsofthepeople’’.

“We know the lotus will bloom. Whenever you like, we will get your votes too,’’ he said.

Hitting out at former CMS Dr Farooq Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, Shah, he said, “I want to ask Farooq Abdullah and the

PDP, during whose tenure the highest number of fake encounters took place, who fired on children of Kashmir and handed them guns?’’ he said.

“(Prime Minister) Narendra Modi not only stopped fake encounters and ended terrorism but also created jobs,’’ Shah said.

Shah dubbed the abrogation of Article 370 “a path-breaking moment” in J&K’S history, which “ended discrimination against the marginalised communities and women”. Shah recalled Mufti had said nobody would be left to raise the Tricolour if Article 370 was abrogated, and said, “Mehboobaji, the Tricolour is immortal and will flutter with honour, pride and prestige even after we are gone.’’

Shah also assured Assembly polls in J&K will be held according to the dateline set by the SC (September 30).

PTI Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Jammu, Tuesday.