Politics

Amit Shah’s ‘Gupkar Model’ Dig at Abdullahs And Muftis Triggers Twitter Retorts from Mehbooba, Omar

October 6, 2022
Bharat Times

At a mega rally in Jammu and Kashmir, his first in the last three years after Article 370 was watered down, union home minister Amit Shah hinted at early assembly polls, spoke on stamping out militancy, no talks with Pakistan, besides hitting out at Kashmir’s former ruling dynasties, Abdullahs and Muftis, leading to a backlash from them.

Shah told a public rally in Baramulla that elections in Jammu and Kashmir would be held as soon as the revision of the voter list would be completed. “I want to tell you that you will soon elect your representatives and for that, the delimitation was very important. The previous regimes never conducted a fair delimitation because they wanted to stay in power,” he said, drawing applause from supporters.

In an oblique reference to regional outfits like the Peoples Democratic Party and National Conference, Shah ridiculed those advocating talks with Pakistan. “Why should we talk to Pakistan? I will talk to the youth of Kashmir… through peace and development and by ushering a free and fair democracy,” he said, adding terrorism would be uprooted from Kashmir and there is zero tolerance on that. He said terrorism has never done well to anyone and it needs to be defeated at all costs.

Shah launched a scathing attack on Farooq Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, saying their two families had never worked for the poor and in fact pocketed money meant for their welfare for themselves.

“The Abdullah and Sons and Mufti and Company are responsible for the killing of 42,000 people in J&K. They indulged in politics to curry benefits for their families and left the poor masses high and dry,” he said.

The home minister said there were two models — the Modi model and Gupkar model. And while the Modi model focused on development, democracy and peace, the Gupkar model led to Pulwama (blast), terrorism, killing, and stones and guns in the hands of youth, he said. “Modi replaced the guns and stones with industry, mobiles and laptops,” said Shah.

Baramulla was once a hotspot of terrorism and today it has turned into a hotspot of tourism, he said. “The Valley which used to get 6 lakh tourists a year has logged 22 lakh tourists for the first nine months. Four lakh tourists visited Gulmarg alone,” the minister added.

Under PM Modi, he said, big infrastructure projects like roads and rail links, bridges, stadia, shelters and hospitals have been built and many are in the offing.

Both Mehbooba and Omar reacted to the home minister’s criticism. Mufti took to Twitter and said her father, who was chief minister of J&K for three and a half years, needs no validation from anyone.

Mehbooba and Omar Abdullah also had a Twitter exchange with the police on the killing of a youth in alleged accidental fire by a policeman who stands arrested.

Mehbooba also crossed virtual swords with Srinagar police over her claim that she wasn’t allowed to attend the wedding of a supporter in Pattan area of Baramulla.

The National Conference sought a day’s time to list its progress card of the years it ruled in J&K after Shah accused the party of doing precious little for the welfare of the masses.

A party spokesman tweeted to say, “We are grateful to @HMOIndia @AmitShah ji for challenging Dr. Farooq Sb to account for @jknc_’s contribution to the development of J&K. As the list is rather exhaustive, please expect our response tomorrow.”

Shah had earlier said the two dynasties had very little on the development front for the last 70 years and Modi in fact was much ahead in comparison. He said the Modi government had brought in Rs 56,000-crore of investment to Kashmir for building industries while the regional parties had done literally nothing.

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