We will only talk to people of Jammu and Kashmir, not Pakistan: Amit Shah’s dig at Farooq Abdullah

Credit: PTI

Srinagar: On the third day of his visit to Jammu and Kashmir, Union Home Minister Amit Shah took a dig at National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah over his comment suggesting India should hold talks with Pakistan on Kashmir issue.

Shah said that the government of India will only talk to the people of J&K and not to Pakistan.

“Farooq Sahib has suggested that we should talk to Pakistan. Let me clarify, if we will talk, we will talk to people of J&K and its youth only, no one else,” Shah said addressing a youth rally at Sher-e-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) in Srinagar.

As a show of confidence over the security situation in the union territory, Shah addressed the event without a bulletproof shield.

“Today, I am speaking my heart. I am speaking without a bulletproof shield,” Shah told the gathering wearing a traditional Kashmiri ‘pheran’.

Shah said, “Dr Farooq and Mehbooba failed to do what BJP did in just two years.”

He further said that the curfew was imposed and internet services were snapped to ensure the safety of the youth.

“This was done to protect and save the lives of our youth. We didn`t want vested interests and anti-peace elements to exploit the situation and push our youth on roads to face bullets,” said Shah.

He said that it was time to come out of this bloodshed and march towards a new journey of peace, development and prosperity.

I promise, J&K will get what it deserves by 2024, he added.