As the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections approach their second phase, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has intensified its campaign with the aim of forming a government in the Union Territory after a decade. Union Home Minister Amit Shah arrived in Jammu for a three-day campaign, addressing multiple rallies in support of BJP candidates.
During a rally in the Mendhar border area of Poonch district, Shah emphasized the peace along the borders, attributing it to Pakistan’s fear of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He highlighted the government’s strong stance against any cross-border firing, suggesting that Pakistan is cautious not to provoke India due to Modi’s leadership. Shah recalled the frequent cross-border firings of the 1990s, contrasting them with the current situation of relative peace, which he credited to the BJP’s governance.
Shah also addressed the youth in Jammu and Kashmir, claiming that the BJP government replaced “guns and stones” in their hands with laptops, a metaphor for development and education over violence. He reiterated that the BJP would ensure that terrorism, which erupted in the 1990s, would not return, accusing previous regimes led by the National Conference (NC), Congress, and PDP of encouraging terrorism. He criticized Omar Abdullah, NC vice president, for allegedly spreading fear about the revival of terrorism, assuring that the BJP would not allow it to happen.
Shah also announced plans to construct more bunkers along the borders for the safety of residents and pledged special recruitment drives for Pahari youth into the police and army, with a focus on border areas.
The Union Home Minister attacked the three families that have dominated Jammu and Kashmir politics—the Abdullahs, Muftis, and Gandhis—accusing them of stifling democracy in the region. He argued that these families ruled like kings, blocking opportunities for elected representatives in panchayat institutions. The elections, he asserted, would mark the end of their rule.
Shah also touched upon the reservation issue, assuring that the BJP would protect the reservation rights of different communities, particularly under the Scheduled Tribe status.
This assembly election is the first since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, which ended Jammu and Kashmir’s special status and divided it into two Union Territories—Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. The polling process, held in three phases, started on September 18, with the second phase scheduled for September 25, and the final phase on October 1. The election results will be declared on October 8.
