"No Power Can Talk Of Autonomy In J&K": Union Home Minister Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday (7 September) reiterated that the restoration of statehood in Jammu and Kashmir is on the Centre's agenda, but ruled out any discussion on autonomy in J&K.

He also slammed the opposition parties, accusing the Congress, National Conference, and PDP of looting the erstwhile state.

Shah also asked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi not to mislead the people of J&K.

While addressing the BJP workers in Jammu’s Palauru, Shah highlighted the historic significance of the upcoming elections, marking the first occasion where voters in Jammu and Kashmir would cast their ballots under the national Tricolour and a unified Constitution following the removal of Article 370, which granted special status to J&K.

“They (opposition parties) say they want to talk to Pakistan. Let me tell you, until there is peace, there will be no talks with Pakistan... Three families—Congress, the National Conference's Abdullah family, and PDP's Mufti family—want to take Jammu and Kashmir back to the age of corruption. They say they will bring back the old arrangement... They speak of bringing back autonomy, let me state categorically that no power can talk of autonomy in Jammu and Kashmir,” Shah said.

Further targeting Rahul Gandhi and the National Conference for their promises on restoring statehood, Shah said that the power to restore statehood lies with the central government.

Shah highlighted that the statehood would be granted after elections.

"The National Conference and the Congress party say that they will give back the statehood status to Jammu and Kashmir. I want to ask Abdullah sahab and Rahul that how will you give back the statehood status to Jammu and Kashmir? You are fooling the public. Only the Indian government can give state status to Jammu and Kashmir. I myself have said in the House that after the elections, we will give statehood status to Jammu and Kashmir. You (National Conference and Congress) are demanding something that we have already given," he said.

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