Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured the people of Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday that they would soon elect their own Assembly and achieve new levels of prosperity with the restoration of statehood.
Speaking at the SKICC to a gathering of youth and others, he emphasized, "You will soon elect your own government, and Jammu and Kashmir will prosper with its statehood."
PM Modi highlighted India's entry into a new era of strengthening democracy, acknowledging Jammu and Kashmir's significant participation in the Lok Sabha elections.
"J&K has lived up to Atalji’s (former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee) vision of ‘Jamhooriyat, Insaniyat and Kashmiriyat’. You have made the victory of democracy possible in J&K and our efforts of the last ten years have borne fruit. Our daughters and members of the underprivileged classes, Pakistani refugees, Valmiki Samaj, and safai karamcharis have got the right to vote. Members of Valmiki Samaj have got ST status. For the first time, seats have been reserved for STs in the Assembly."
"OBC reservations have been made in Panchayats. The letter and spirit of our Constitution is to change the lives of people for the better by empowering them. Today, we are living our constitution. We are looking for new avenues to help J&K. The country’s constitution has been implemented in J&K. Governments at the Centre in the past haven’t done this and they are responsible for the troubles of the people here," he added."
"The wall of Article 370 has been brought down. The change is clearly visible to the whole world. Those who attended the G-20 summit here appreciate the change in J&K. Today, children play in Lal Chowk, the youth go to cinemas and this makes the hearts and minds of the citizens outside J&K filled with pride and satisfaction. Sports car shows on the banks of the Dal Lake were seen by everybody. We are now talking of record-breaking arrivals of tourists here. Last year, over 2 crore tourists came here. This supports the livelihood of the local people," he said.
PM Modi reiterated his unwavering dedication to his work, emphasizing, "Every action I take is driven by complete commitment and sincerity. We aim to bridge any gap, be it of hearts or between Delhi and Jammu and Kashmir. While funds from the Centre flowed in the past, we ensure every penny benefits Jammu and Kashmir’s welfare."
"The J&K administration has employed 40,000 youth in government service during the last 5 years. I have given appointment letters to over 2,000 youth in government service today. J&K is going to become the startup hub of the country. There is huge potential among local youth for sports. They can compete at national and international events. I have met youth today who have created startups to modernise agriculture. I have seen startups in IT, cyber security, food products etc. These youth have so much to say and it gave me immense pleasure to listen to their commitment and zeal," he said.
PM Modi emphasized the milestone of opening 50 degree colleges in Jammu and Kashmir in the last decade, a significant achievement in contrast to past decades.
"Today, every district in J&K has a modern sports stadium. In the ‘Khelo India’ initiative, 100 sports centres were opened and 4,500 youth were trained for national and international events. “Kashmir is the winter sports capital of the country. In future, national and international winter sports events will take place here," he said.
Addressing recent terrorist incidents, PM Modi assured, "We have taken serious note of these incidents. The Home Minister has reviewed security with the local administration. We are committed to thwarting the designs of those hostile to Jammu and Kashmir’s progress."
PM Modi's remarks were met with enthusiastic applause from the audience, underscoring the collective optimism and determination towards a prosperous future for Jammu and Kashmir.
It was on Thursday that the firm stance of the US towards India was reiterated, "close partner", and expressed eagerness to collaborate with the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he assumed office for a third term. The reaffirmation was made during the State Department's daily briefing, where its spokesperson put forth strong bilateral relations binding both nations together.
"India continues to be an important partner of the United States and not only at the governmental level, developing governmental relations but at the grassroots level strong economic and cultural links. We would keep working for India on our indo-pacific strategy and look forward towards continuing to work with Prime Minister Modi's government," Miller said in response to a question.
He also referred to the recent interactions between Prime Minister Modi and US President Joe Biden, referring to their discussions after the elections and also a brief meeting between the two on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Italy. On the Kashmir issue between India and Pakistan, he said there was a US stand for direct dialogues between the two countries.
"We have taken serious notice of recent terrorist incidents. The Home Minister has taken a review of the security in J&K with the local administration. I want to assure you that we will teach a lesson to the enemies of J&K," he said to loud applause from the gathering.
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