‘Involvement of locals with terrorists has ended’
New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday reiterated Modi government’s zero tolerance policy towards terrorism and lambasted previous dispensations for being ‘soft on terror’.
Amit Shah, while replying to the debate on the working of Ministry of Home Affairs in the House, listed out some path-breaking decisions of Modi government including abrogation of Article 370 and how it brought lasting peace in the valley.
Home Minister, speaking in Rajya Sabha, said that after the removal of Article 370, the involvement of locals with terrorists has completed ended, marking the restoration of peace in the entire region.
He further said that the glorification of terrorists, which was often seen during UPA rule, has come to an end during the NDA’s decade-long rule. He also noted a 70 percent reduction in deaths due to terror-related incidents.
Comparing figures, he said that between 2004 and 2014, the region saw 7,217 terror incidents, whereas between 2014 and 2024, this number dropped to 2,242.
The Home Minister expressed deep respect for the sacrifices made by police personnel and also took the opportunity to highlight their achievements in strengthening the nation’s security and governance.
“I want to pay tribute to all the police personnel who have sacrificed their lives for the safety and security of the people. Thanks to their immense sacrifice, India is now poised to play an important role in global affairs, a position we’ve been working toward for over 76 years. My heartfelt gratitude goes to the families of these brave officers for their unwavering service,” he said.
Highlighting the legacy issues faced by the country before PM Modi’s tenure, Shah pointed out that problems such as terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, Left Wing Extremism, and Northeast insurgencies had hindered India’s progress.
“These issues were holding back India’s potential for peace and development. But under PM Modi, we have eradicated these obstacles,” Shah asserted.
Speaking on Jammu and Kashmir, Shah emphasised the drastic shift in approach since the Modi government took power.
He recalled the time when terrorist attacks on civilians were a daily occurrence, particularly during religious festivals.
“Previously, the central government used to maintain silence, fearing political backlash. But under PM Modi, we adopted a ‘Zero Tolerance’ policy toward terrorism,” Shah said.
He pointed to the surgical strikes and airstrikes, carried out shortly after the Pulwama attack in 2019, as examples of India’s newfound assertiveness in countering terrorism.
Shah further elaborated on removal of Article 370.
“I thank our ancestors for making Article 370 temporary, but the opposition refused to accept the need for change. On August 5, 2019, PM Modi’s government took the bold step of removing it. No longer was there a fear of losing the vote bank. We brought full integration of Jammu and Kashmir with the rest of India, ensuring all laws applied to the region,” Shah explained.
He also pointed to the reopening of cinema halls in Jammu and Kashmir, the celebration of major festivals like Diwali and Krishna Janmashtami in peace, and the successful hosting of G20 leaders in the region as signs of the positive transformation in the Union Territory.
“These changes would have been unimaginable in the past, but today, Jammu and Kashmir is thriving in peace,” he said.
“The rate of terrorist attacks has significantly decreased. We also took strict action against the local networks with links to terrorists, ensuring that the threat was eradicated from within the system as well,” Shah added.
He also informed that more than 40,000 government jobs and 1.51 lakh self-employment opportunities were created in Jammu and Kashmir from 2019 to 2024. He also highlighted the role of skilling clubs in boosting employment in the region.
“Jammu and Kashmir has attracted investments worth Rs 12,000 crore on the ground, thanks to an appealing industrial policy. Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) worth Rs 1.1 lakh crore have been signed,” he added.
Union Home Minister stated that earlier, in Kashmir, terrorists would frequently infiltrate from a neighboring country, carry out bomb blasts and murders, and the attitude of the then central governments towards these incidents was lenient.
They would remain silent, afraid to speak out, and were also fearful of losing their vote bank. He mentioned that after Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister, a zero-tolerance policy against terrorism was adopted.
He said, under the Modi government, no one has the courage to carry out bomb blasts in the country.
After our government came to power, attacks occurred in Uri and Pulwama, but within just 10 days, we responded by entering Pakistan’s territory and carrying out surgical strikes.
He further stated that, in the past, only Israel and the United States were the two countries that were always ready to protect their borders and military forces, and it was Prime Minister Modi who added the name of our great India to that list. It was from there that the policy of zero tolerance against terrorism was initiated.
Amit Shah stated that the root cause of separatism in Kashmir was Article 370. He mentioned that due to political compulsion and vote bank politics, Article 370 continued for many years. The Home Minister said that on 5th August, 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi abolished Article 370 in this very Parliament.
He added that the framers of our Constitution had a vision that there should be one country, one symbol, and one constitution, and PM Modi fulfilled this dream.
Shah further stated that on 5th-6th August, 2019, a new era of one law, one symbol, and one leader began, and from that moment, the process of permanently integrating Kashmir with India began.
Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that in Jammu and Kashmir, Dogri, Hindi, and Urdu were granted the status of official languages of the state. To curb corruption, an Anti-Corruption Bureau was established, and all national laws were also adopted in the region.
PM Modi also abolished the permit system at the Pathankot checkpoint, ushering in a new era of democracy, development, and prosperity.
He mentioned that during the 33 years of the previous governments, cinemas were not allowed to open in the region, but under Modi government, they were opened.
For 34 years, permission for Tazia processions during Muharram was not granted, but it was allowed during our time.
Previously, it was very difficult to hoist the national flag at Lal Chowk, but now there is not a single house there where the Tricolor was not hoisted during the “Har Ghar Tiranga” campaign.
He also mentioned that Formula 4 car racing took place in Srinagar, and the celebration of Krishna Janmashtami was held at Lal Chowk.
