Will not tolerate separatist movement, terrorism in J-K: Shah

Vowing to give a befitting reply to any attempt to break the country, Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday said separatist movement and terrorism will not be tolerated in Jammu and Kashmir and asserted that India wants peace, but not with those who do not respect its borders.

Replying to a debate in Rajya Sabha on extension of President's rule in Jammu and Kashmir by six months beginning July 3, he said the Modi government has "zero tolerance" to terrorism and central agencies such as NIA and tax department are working to choke separatist financing in the state.

Shah advocated a new thinking to solve the Kashmir saying the approach of the past 70 years hasn't yielded any result.

"We want development in the (Kashmir) Valley. But we will not tolerate any separatist movement and terrorism. Terrorists who do not want to join with India have no place in the government's scheme of things. They will face severe action and difficulties," he said.

Rajya Sabha on Monday passed the statutory resolution for extending President's rule as well as a bill to provide reservation to people living in three borders areas of the state. This completed the parliamentary approval process in both the cases.

The Modi government's policy is to protect Kashmiri traditions, he said adding his government reopened schools, provided cooking gas, built toilets and provided electricity during President's rule in the state.

"We will win hearts of Kashmiri people," he said.

Facing flak from opposition for not holding assembly elections in the state alongside the recently concluded general elections, Shah said security agencies had expressed inability to provide security cover to all candidates.

The Modi government will hold polls the moment Election Commission says it is ready to elections, he said after the opposition parties batted for early assembly polls during the debate.

Shah said the Modi government struck at the heart of terrorist training when it carried out surgical and air strikes across the border after the Uri and Pulwama terror attacks.

Unlike in the past, foreign and defence policies have been segregated keeping national security at the core, he said.

"We want peace with the world but there cannot be peace with those who do not respect our borders," he said.

He blamed the Kashmir problem to the ceasefire by first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru when one-third of the state was still in Pakistani occupation and said "historical blunders" will always be debated.

He went on to ask why Nehru government went to the United Nations despite Kashmir's assession to India and agree to hold plebiscite "that is in any case out of question today".

On reference made by opposition parties to the National Register for Citizenship (NRC), the Home Minister said the Modi government is clear that infiltration must be curbed and infiltrators must be identified and sent out.

A citizenship bill will be brought to give Indian citizenship to Hindus coming from neighbouring nations, he said.

Rejecting opposition's allegation that the BJP was using President's rule to continue its proxy rule, Shah said there is no "drought" for his party as it is in power in 16 out of the 29 states in the country.

The BJP, he said, formed a government in the state with PDP due to a fractured mandate of the people and snapped ties when it realised that separatists were being patronised.

"We have continued with a single approach towards the Kashmir issue but if the problems persists even after 70 years, it becomes imperative for us to review and adopt a new approach. We are all for development but there will be no place for separatists and terrorist here," he said.

The Home Minister said Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and no one can detach it from the country. "Our government has zero tolerance for terrorism."
"Our approach is clear, those who talk of breaking India we will respond to them in the same language," he said. "There is no need for fear in anyone's mind. It is government's duty to protect every citizen."