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Jammu, Oct. 24 (PTI): Asserting that the government is aiming to wipe out terrorism from Jammu and Kashmir and put an end to civilian killings, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday said nobody would be allowed to disrupt peace and development in the union territory, which has a place in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's heart.
He said Rs 12,000 crore worth of investment has already come to the union territory and the government aims at a total of INR 51,000 crore by the end of 2022 to provide five lakh jobs to the local youth.
Shah is on a three-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir, his first after the Centre revoked the erstwhile state's special status and bifurcated it into two union territories of J&K and Ladakh on August 5, 2019.
Addressing a public rally at Bhagwati Nagar here, Shah without naming the Congress, National Conference and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said the three families are answerable to the people for their failure to develop Jammu and Kashmir over the past seven decades.
"The new phase of development under the leadership of Modi has started in J&K but attempts are being made by inimical elements to create a hurdle. I have come here to assure you that nobody will be able to create a hurdle and disrupt peace and development," Shah, who arrived at the well-attended rally amid thunderous applause and sloganeering by people, said.
In an apparent reference to the killing of 11 civilians by terrorists in targeted attacks across Kashmir this month, he said some people are raising questions about the prevailing security situation in the UT but "I want to answer them with facts and figures".
"Between 2004 and 2014, a total of 2,081 civilians were killed with average deaths of 239 annually. From 2014 till September this year, 239 civilians unfortunately lost their lives which accounted 30 deaths per year. The figures are down but we are not satisfied," the home minister said, adding We want to build such an atmosphere that not a single person loses his life and the terrorism is wiped out."
He said a new phase of development has started which cannot be stopped by anyone.
"Jammu and Kashmir is placed in the heart of the prime minister and under his government, there will be no injustice, discrimination or appeasement, he said.
Shah said the time for sidelining the people of Jammu has come to an end and now both Kashmir and Jammu will be developed together.
"Jammu has borne the brunt of discrimination for years together. Now there will be no injustice with anyone and both Kashmir and Jammu will be developed together and the developed J&K will strengthen India, he said.
Listing various steps taken by the government since the formation of the BJP government at the Centre, he said five lakh jobs are being created in Jammu and Kashmir, while 25,000 people have been provided government jobs in the past two years through service selection board.
"The three families used to say who will come and invest in J&K.... Till date, we have got an investment of INR 7,000 crore in Jammu and INR 5,000 crore in Kashmir. And when we came out with a new industrial policy, the three families who have deprived the people of J&K of various benefits, started raising questions.
"We have had INR 12,000 crore investment due to the efforts of the prime minister and are looking forward to an investment of INR 51,000 crore by the end of 2022, he said.
Targeting the three families, he said they were asking what the government is going to give to J&K. "We have a long list of what we have given to J&K and the people know it very well but the people of J&K are demanding an answer from them as to what they have given to J&K despite ruling the erstwhile state for the past seven decades. Have you thought of anyone else other than your own family members.
He said soon after Modi became the prime minister, he released a INR 55,000-crore financial package, of which INR 33,000 crore has already been spent on various developmental projects.
"Today I have laid the foundation of various projects worth INR 15,000 crore. These three families together have not done so much development during their entire rule, he said.