Amit Shah woos tribals of Poonch, Rajouri during campaign trail in J&K

Union Home Minister Amit Shah said Saturday that the tribals of Rajouri and Poonch are defenders of Jammu and Kashmir and the entire country was proud of them, as he slammed rival parties -- Congress, NC and PDP -- for giving "stepmotherly treatment" to these marginalised communities.

Seeking support of the Gujjars, Bakerwals, and Paharis for the ongoing assembly elections, Shah urged them to "cover the hills with lotuses (BJP's poll symbol)" and end the "monarchy" of the Gandhis, Abdullahs and Muftis, who he claimed have kept the Pir Panjal region underdeveloped for the last 75 years.

Addressing four rallies on Saturday, starting in Mendhar (Poonch) followed by Thanamandi and Rajouri, Shah attacked the National Conference (NC) Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Congress, saying the three parties have enabled the spread of terrorism in J-K since the 1990s.

"People here say that the Army and security forces are protecting them. But when you go to Gujarat, Maharashtra, or Bengal, they say that the Gujjars and Bakerwals are protecting the country here," Shah said at a rally in Thanamandi and Rajouri on Saturday.

Praising the tribals, Shah said, "Whether it was the wars of 1947, 1965, or 1971, or the fight against terrorism, the Gujjars and Bakerwals have fought bravely, taking bullets on their chests. They have been instrumental in bringing peace to Jammu and Kashmir. The entire country looks up to them with respect."

He emphasised that since 1947, in every war with Pakistan, soldiers from Jammu and Kashmir have defended India. "When terrorism entered in the 1990s, courtesy of Farooq Abdullah, it was my Pahari, Gujjar, and Bakerwal brothers who bravely faced bullets," he added.

The BJP has fielded five Gujjar candidates in Thanamandi, Budhal, Poonch, Surankote, and Mendhar, where Gujjars make up a significant voting bloc.

Among the candidates are two-time MLA and former minister Zulfkar Choudhary from Budhal, senior leader Iqbal Malik from Thanamandi, and former MLC Murtaza Khan from Mendhar, Choudhary Abdul Gani from Poonch and former Minister Syed Mustaq Bukhari from Surankote.

Shah said, "There has been no development in Rajouri and Poonch in the last 75 years. Congress, NC, and PDP are responsible. They have denied the Pir Panjal region its due development."

"I want to ask Farooq Abdullah why this region has been kept away from development for decades. When we undertook welfare measures here, they spread propaganda that Gujjar reservations would be reduced. I assured them that not even one percent of reservations would be reduced," the home minister said.

He reaffirmed that Paharis were given reservations without affecting those of Gujjars, and both communities are now content. "This is your right, and no one can take it away," he said.

Promising further support, Shah announced reservations in promotions for these communities and the setting up of training centres for IAS and IPS aspirants. He added that children from these communities would receive scholarships of ?10,000 per year.

Taking a dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's statement about his "Mohabbat ki Dukan" (shop of love), Shah accused him of issuing "directives of terror from that very shop".

"No talks with Pakistan until they stop aiding and abetting terrorism, but we will talk with the children of my hill regions," he said.

Shah also highlighted the tourism potential in the region, announcing plans to develop two new cities to attract tourists worldwide. "Tourist footfall has increased from 3 million to 20 million during Modi Ji's tenure," he said.

In Rajouri, Shah reiterated that Jammu and Kashmir has undergone a massive transformation under Prime Minister Modi's leadership, shifting from terrorism to peace.

"The grip of the Abdullahs, Muftis, and Nehru-Gandhis on the region has been broken, and now the youth hold laptops instead of stones", he said.

Shah urged the people to vote for the BJP, saying, "This election is about ending the rule of three families who have suppressed democracy in J&K for 75 years."

"Due to Modi Ji's tireless efforts, today, around 30,000 Kashmiri youths are contesting elections at various levels, exercising their democratic rights," Shah said.

He recalled his promise to the Gujjar community in Rajouri. "When I came to Rajouri, I promised that we would not reduce the reservations of Gujjar brothers and would also give reservations to the Paharis. And we kept our promise," he said.