The Government has zero tolerance policy towards terrorism, Home Minister Amit Shah said on Friday as he also asserted that Naxalism will end in India by March 2026.
Replying to a debate in Rajya Sabha on the working of the Home Ministry, he said the Narendra Modi Government fulfilled the dream of the architects of the Constitution by abrogating Article 370.
“Article 370 was the basis of separatism in Kashmir. But I also thank the architects of the Constitution, they made the provision temporary, and the way to abrogate it was also included in the Article,” Shah said.
“But due to vote bank politics and stubbornness, Article 370 continued. On August 5, 2019, Article 370 was abrogated. The dream of the architects of our Constitution, was that there can’t be two heads, two constitutions and two flags in the country,” he said.
Shah said the issue of terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, left-wing extremism, and insurgency in Northeast were among the biggest challenges for India.
“Around 92,000 citizens were killed in four decades. No organised effort was done to deal with these, and the Modi government did it,” he said.
The Home Minister said the Modi Government has zero tolerance for terrorism.
He also said the number of deaths of civilians and security personnel in terror incidents has drastically come down, while there has been zero incidents of stone pelting in the Kashmir valley.
“There has been a 70 per cent reduction in deaths due to terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir during Modi Govt; terror incidents too fell sharply,” he said.
Shah also said grassroots level democracy has been established in Jammu and Kashmir by successfully holding elections in urban and rural local bodies.
“Around 40,000 Govt jobs provided during 2019-24 in Jammu and Kashmir, 1.51 lakh self employment created, skilling clubs operational,” he said.
He also accused previous Governments of not taking action against Naxalism.
“By March 21, 2026, Naxalism will end in this country,” he said.
He also asserted that once the BJP comes to power in Tamil Nadu, it will start imparting medical and engineering education in Tamil.
He also spoke about action against those trying to follow Punjab separatist Jarnail Singh ‘Bhindranwale’, saying they are now lodged in Assam jail.
“We will not let terrorism, driven by any political ideology, flourish in the country,” he asserted.
He said within 10 days of the Uri and Pulwama attacks, the Modi government hit back at Pakistan by carrying out surgical and air strikes.
Shah said no one can now dare carry out blasts and escape, unlike in the past. He asserted that the country was safe under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership.
Noting that blasts occurred frequently in the past, Shah also attacked previous Governments for not taking action against terrorists, citing the 2008 Mumbai terror attack.
“There was a time when bomb blasts were routine. I want to tell the people of the country that, for the last 10 years, the series of bomb blasts have stopped. No one can now dare carry out bomb blasts. The country is safe under Narendra Modi. We are committed to uprooting terrorism,” he said.
Referring to the 2008 Mumbai terror attack, he said terrorists earlier easily entered the country, attacked hotels and railway stations, and escaped.
“But no action was taken,” the Home Minister said.
Shah said India is very close to getting a complete anti-drone solution, and it will be achieved within six months.
“We are very close to getting a complete anti-drone solution. We have had six experiments, I am hopeful within six-months we will have an indigenous anti-drone solution, a symbol of Make in India,” he said.
The Minister said drones are also being used to track poppy cultivation. “We used drones, satellites and modern technology to destroy opium cultivation,” he said.
Shah said in the last five years, 23,000 kg of synthetic drugs worth more than Rs 14,000 crore has been destroyed and disposed of.
“Drugs are sent from Afghanistan to Sri Lanka, they ask why drugs are being captured in Gujarat … it should be caught in other States as well. We have pledged that no drugs will be allowed to enter or exit India,” he said.
He also said money earned from drug trade is used for terror incidents, and no one would be spared.
“There have been enough divisions in the nation in the name of language, and it should not happen anymore,” Shah said amid the escalating row over the three-language formula implementation outlined in the National Education Policy.
He said every Indian language is a treasure for the country. “Hindi is not in competition with any Indian language, it is only a friend of other languages,” he said.
Shah informed the Upper House of Parliament that the Union Home Ministry’s communications with States will be done in their own languages from December onwards. (PTI)
