 "Kashmir boys should carry laptops, not stones: Modi")
Breaking his silence on present situation of Kashmir, Prime Minster Narendra Modi today expressed his pain over the situation in valley and that those children should be holding school books, laptops and cricket batsand not stones.
Addressing a public meeting in Bhabra, the birth place of socialist revolutionary and martyr Chandrashekhar Azad, Prime Minster appealed to the people of Kashmir to maintain peace and harmony in the ‘heaven’. He called upon youth of Kashmir and appealed them to restore the valley into heaven again.
He was in the town to commemorate the anniversary of ‘Quit India Movement.’ The celebration is a part of Central government’s plan to mark the 70th anniversary of Indian independence and 75th anniversary of Quit India Movement.
Citing legendry leader in the party and former prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, Modi said when he was the prime minister he had chosen a path of jamhuriyat, kashmiriyat and insaniyat. “We walk the same path. The brother and sister of Kashmir have been given the same strength and freedom like that has been given to any other Indian by our freedom fighters. Every Kashmiri has equal freedom to that of every other Indian.”
Lauding efforts of Mehbooba Mufti government, Modi said Central government was working with her government to iron out problems of the state but few people, who did not want this to happen for vested interests, were leading to destruction.
He laid his emphasis on peace in Kashmir and said insaniyat (humanity) and Kashmiriyat should not be damaged when there remained a path of dialogue in democracy open.
BJP is celebrating some important dates that pertains to the national freedom movement. Other BJP leaders are also on a roster to visit different places of the country in coming fortnight. Bhabra town has already been renamed as Chandrashekhar Azad Nagar by the ruling BJP government in the state. Azad’s home has been restored into a memorial carrying a name “Azad Smriti Mandir’. It also has a small museum. For the first time any prime minister has visited Azad’s birthplace.