Jammu/Srinagar, Feb 24: Union Home Minister Amit Shah today reaffirmed that the goal of the Narendra Modi government is to transform Jammu and Kashmir into a place where terrorism no longer claims lives, and lasting peace prevails.
Addressing a vibrant gathering of students from Jammu and Kashmir at the ‘Watan Ko Jano’ program in New Delhi, Shah emphasised that the revocation of Article 370 has fully integrated Kashmir into India, granting its youth equal rights and opportunities across the country.
“The children of Jammu and Kashmir now stand on equal footing with that of Delhi,” Shah said, urging them to seize the vast opportunities available to them, whether in engineering, administra-tion, or entrepreneurship. “Today, you have the same rights as any other citizen in India. Whether you aspire to study in the best institutions or work in any part of the country, the possibilities are endless.”
Speaking to 250 children who had travelled to Rajasthan and participated in the event on their return, Shah urged them to carry the message of peace back home. “Go and tell your parents, friends, and neighbours that the entire country is living in peace, and the people of Jammu and Kashmir should also live in peace,” he said.
Shah further asserted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s decision to ab-rogate Article 370 had ensured equality for all citizens. ” “With the abrogation of Article 370, Jammu and Kashmir is no longer isolated. Now, the people of Jammu and Kashmir have equal rights anywhere in India, just like the people of Delhi, Rajasthan, or Gujarat,” he said.
As part of the Watan Ko Jano program, Shah urged the youth to take full advantage of their rights across the nation, including access to education, healthcare, and economic opportunities in all 29 states.
“You have rights over Jammu and Kashmir, but isn’t it good that you also have equal rights over the other 29 states of the country? Like Jammu and Kashmir, the whole country is yours,” he added.
Shah also highlighted the significant improvement in the region’s security situation, noting that violence has reduced by over 80% in the past decade. “In the last ten years, stone pelting, bomb blasts, and terrorism have come to an end, and this has allowed students to focus on their educa-tion,” he said. He stressed the government’s continued commitment to ensuring no more lives are lost to terrorism, making Kashmir a peaceful and prosperous region for all.
While highlighting the role of the youth in shaping the future of Kashmir, Shah encouraged them to be ambassadors of peace and progress, spreading the message of unity and development to their families and communities. “When peace prevails, there will be no need for security forces to maintain order in your neighbourhoods,” he said, envisioning a future where Kashmir thrives without the need for deployment of security personnel.
“Our goal is to make J&K such that not a single person dies due to terrorism. The peace that has returned must be converted into permanent peace,” he asserted, while recalling the traumatic his-tory of over 36,000 lives lost to violence in the past three decades.
The Home Minister also outlined the government’s vision for Jammu and Kashmir’s future, with major infrastructure projects like the world’s largest Chenab Rail Bridge and Asia’s largest cable bridge de-signed to boost tourism and connectivity. Additionally, Shah pointed to the establishment of AIIMS and IIM in Jammu, underscoring the government’s commitment to improving education and healthcare in the region. Shah said that earlier, rural areas in Jammu and Kashmir did not have a proper water supply. However, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took steps to improve this, and now more than 80% of rural areas have tap water connections.
Shah also spoke about the government’s vision to position India as a global leader in education. “In the next 10 years, India will be the destination for students worldwide,” he predicted, envi-sioning a future where students from around the world come to India for higher education.
“Elections were held for local bodies and 36,000 people elected as panch, sarpanch. All these have happened in the past 10 years,” he added.
“When the country will progress, you will progress too. As much as the country progresses, be-comes modern, you will also become prosperous. This is what Prime Minister Modi is doing,” he said.
Meanwhile, 250 children from weaker sections of Jammu and Kashmir, including 62 girls and 188 boys in the age group of 9-18 years visited Jaipur, Ajmer and Delhi under ‘Watan Ko Jano’ programme organised by Social Welfare Department of the Govt of J&K in coordination with Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
