Union minister Amit Shah on Thursday extended an olive branch to the terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir while addressing a poll rally. Shah asked the terrorists to “give up arms” and approach the government for talks, or the armed forces would “hunt them down.”
The home minister, while addressing a rally ahead of the third and final phase of the Jammu and Kashmir assembly electionreiterated that there will be no dialogue or cross-border trade with Pakistan.
Launching a scathing attack on the opposition parties, Amit Shah accused Congress and the National Conference of shielding terrorists in the union territory for the last three decades. Promising a terror-free Jammu and Kashmir, the home minister said that if the Congress-National Conference alliance won the assembly election, they would implement Pakistan’s agenda in the UT.
“For vote-bank politics, they (opposition parties) are asking for talks with terrorists. If they (terrorists) want to talk, let them come forward after giving up arms. In the northeast, 10,000 people have surrendered,” Shah told the gathering at Jasrotia, extending an olive branch to the terrorists.
Addressing back-to-back rallies in the Chenani and Udhampur Assembly segments in Udhampur district, Bani and Jasrotia in Kathua district and Marh in Jammu district, the home minister said, “Give up arms and come for talks or our forces will hunt you down.”
While addressing a rally at Marh, he said that PDP, NC and Congress are advocating talks with Pakistan and the resumption of cross-border trade. “They want to do ‘ILU ILU’ (I love you) with Pakistan…. We will not talk to Pakistan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has closed the trade that will not be resumed,” Shah asserted.
While addressing a rally at Bani, the union minister said that the NDA government won’t even allow the “shadow of terrorism” over the hills of the Jammu region.
“Let Pakistan do whatever it wants, we will not allow the shadow of terrorism in the hills of the Jammu region. We have strengthened the VDGs and youngsters in villages and given them INSAS rifles to fight terrorism,” Shah said.
Slamming the opposition alliance, he said, “If the NC-Congress alliance wins, there will be fireworks in Pakistan. Do you want Pakistan to celebrate?”
(With inputs from PTI)
