JAMMU: Union minister Jitendra Singh on Tuesday said that the planned extension of Amarnath Yatra to two months this year reflects the government’s confidence and people’s enthusiasm due to the prevailing peaceful atmosphere in Jammu and Kashmir.
Addressing a gathering of prominent citizens in Mainpuri of Uttar Pradesh to mark the completion of nine years of the government headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said that Jammu-Kashmir and the Northeast present a befitting example of deft handling of the menace of terrorism and extremism under Modi’s leadership.
Singh, the Minister of State for Personnel, said that Prime Minister Modi has walked the talk on zero-tolerance for terrorism.
“Due to the overall peaceful atmosphere and confidence of the government and enthusiasm of the common man, for the first time after many years, the holy Amarnath yatra in Jammu and Kashmir starting from 1st July will be of two months long duration, which was earlier sometimes restricted to even 15-20 days due to security and other considerations,” the minister said.
He said, for the first time, nearly 50,000 people are having darshan per day at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine, “not to speak of the record number of 1.7 crore tourists visiting the state in last season”.
Singh pointed out that the recent successful G20 event in Jammu-Kashmir which saw the participation of all sections of society “is a refreshing moment, setting a benchmark for future big events”, according to a Personnel Ministry statement.
The minister said that the youth of J-K is highly aspirational and does not want to miss the bus.
“The youth is keen to move on and be led by Modi,” he added.
Singh said that it was Prime Minister Modi who gave Jammu and Kashmir “real self-rule” by ensuring the successful conduct of regular panchayat elections and the first-ever District Development Council (DDC) polls in seven decades in November 2020.
On the question of Assembly polls, the minister said the Election Commission has to take a call after consulting with other agencies.
But, he added, that his party, BJP is always ready for it as they work round-the-clock on the ground.
Singh said that the Modi government has created a milieu where outlets are available for the expression of aspiration by the youth.
He also mentioned how the security scenario has undergone a change in the Union territory where there are no more stone-pelting incidents and stressed that the credit for all this goes to Prime Minister Modi.
