The youth of Jammu and Kashmir is aspirational and wants to move on with mainstream India, Minister of State for PMO and Personnel Jitendra Singh told News18 in an exclusive interview. Singh, MP from J&K’s Udhampur, said the sentiment is reflected in Home Minister Amit Shah’s recent statement that he would rather talk to the youth of J&K than talk to Pakistan.
Singh added that terrorism is in its last phase in J&K as terrorists are being given hot chase by the security forces. He added that terrorists on the run are trying to make their presence felt by going after soft civilian targets. He said terrorists are now neutralised within months of hitting the security forces’ radar unlike earlier when militant commanders gained cult status over the years.
Explaining the roadmap for India’s newest Union Territory, Singh also brushed aside the Opposition’s objection to the delimitation exercise, which will be followed by elections and eventually a return to statehood.
Edited excerpts:
Home Minister Amit Shah in his recent J&K visit said that rather than talk to Pakistan, he would want to speak to the youth of J&K. What is the import of this statement?
Amit Shah’s statement goes with the policy of reaching out to the common masses in Jammu & Kashmir, and more so the youth. Majority of the population is comprised of the youth. That is the right and pragmatic approach. The youth of Jammu & Kashmir actually wants to move on. He may be holding himself back or may be getting held back because of fear which is still there because of these occasional incidents of violence.
But the fact is that the youth of J&K is very aspirational and very competitive, which has been proven more than once in the manner they have excelled in all competitive exams. This year’s NEET topper is from Jammu & Kashmir. And in the civil services, we have been consecutively having toppers from Jammu & Kashmir. They now realise they have to give full expression to their aspirations and their talents.
So the door for talks with Pakistan is firmly shut?
That is the call which is taken by the government after assessing the situation. I would not comment more on that.
How do you see the recent incidents of attacks on civilians in J&K? Is the government concerned?
Occasional incidents are happening because terrorists are on the run and they are trying to make their presence felt by targeting soft targets. Militancy is very much in control. Firstly, if you go statistically and compare the figures of the earlier years, particularly those before 2014, there is a sea of change and this is the last phase of militancy and they (terrorists) are on their way out.
The number of killings – both civilians and security personnel – which have happened in last seven years is a very small fraction compared to earlier. Secondly, after surgical strikes and other decisive measures taken by PM Modi, there has not been any major incident. These occasional killings are happening because they choose soft targets to make themselves visible. But they are on the run and they are under hot chase which was not there earlier.
The third evidence is that the average life span of a terrorist has reduced – to hardly a few months or one year. From the moment it comes to notice that a new terror commander has emerged, within a few months he is liquidated. It is no longer a case that a terror commander becomes a legend for a decade. These are all the signs of the impending end of this era of terrorism in J&K.
So you feel the youth of J&K is now with you?
The most important thing is that the psyche of the common man, more so the youth, is that now they want to move on. Now, they are very clear that their future is with mainstream India led by PM Narendra Modi. And they do not want to miss the opportunity as they are aspirational youth.
Opposition parties in J&K have criticised Amit Shah’s statement during the J&K visit that delimitation will be followed by elections and then statehood. They want statehood first. Will that pose a problem in the delimitation exercise?
The Home Minister’s stand on this issue has been consistent from Day One. He said the same thing in Parliament and the same outside whenever asked. So there is no ambiguity. Delimitation is a constitutional process so I don’t think it can be affected by other means.
The PM had spoken about removing both Dil Ki Doori and Dilli Ki Doori when it comes to J&K. How far have you succeeded in that?
The PM has been very forthright and clear from the beginning. In 2014, right after his government came to power, the first challenge in the region was the floods that happened in the Kashmir valley and the entire capital city of Srinagar was under water. The PM has been repeatedly visiting J&K since and spent his first Diwali in Kashmir. That time he was with the flood-affected people. This Diwali, he was with soldiers in Jammu & Kashmir. That personal outreach of the PM has been a great asset because he commands huge appeal.
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