Union Minister hits Cong on US deal
JAMMU: Union minister Ramdas Athawale appealed to Naxalites on Sunday to shun violence and join the mainstream, while strongly condemning a recent attack on National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah, saying such incidents are a matter of serious concern and unacceptable in a democratic country.
Athawale said the Centre stands with the people of Jammu and Kashmir, which has seen significant progress since the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution in 2019, and reiterated that statehood to the Union Territory may be restored soon.
“The attack on Abdullah (on March 11) is unfortunate and condemnable. He has always supported strong relations between Jammu and Kashmir and the rest of India. There may be ideological differences, but we must respect democratic values. No one has the right to take someone’s life,” the Republican Party of India (RPI) president told reporters here.
He said the NC was part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) earlier and Farooq Abdullah’s son, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, was a member of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s cabinet.
Athawale said Union Home Minister Amit Shah has spoken to Farooq Abdullah and given instructions to strengthen his security.
He said the Centre is against all forms of violence and wants peace to prevail in the country, referring to the Union government’s efforts to eradicate Naxalism, and added that those involved in extremist activities should shun the path of violence and join the democratic mainstream.
“Killing someone does not solve problems. If you fight for justice by killing people, you destroy yourself and others. We support the demands for justice for the poor, tribals and those living in hilly areas, but violence is not the solution. The solution is to come into the democratic system, contest elections and raise your voice in Parliament and the assemblies,” the Union minister said.
He appealed to Naxalites to join the mainstream of the society and follow the democratic path shown by B R Ambedkar, who believed in equality for all, and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi also works on the “Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas” principle.
“After the removal of Article 370, good progress is taking place here and efforts are being made to provide employment opportunities to the unemployed youngsters of the region. Our stand is that peace should always prevail in Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
Athawale said when the home minister had announced the bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir into Union territories, he had said statehood would be restored in the future. “A decision in this regard may be taken soon,” he said.
Highlighting development initiatives, Athawale said the Modi government has given special attention to Jammu and Kashmir and the northeastern states since 2014, with a major focus on infrastructure, connectivity and economic growth.
He said the expansion of national highways under Union minister Nitin Gadkari, rapid progress in railway projects and extension of rail connectivity towards Kashmir, including the construction of major tunnels, reflect the Centre’s commitment to development in the region.
Athawale said the government is working to strengthen the economy, promote micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and improve connectivity across the country, adding that India has risen to the fourth position in the global economy.
Meanwhile, Athawale also slammed the Congress for criticising the India-US trade agreement, saying the deal will boost employment, strengthen MSMEs and help the country’s economy grow.
He also asserted that there is no immediate shortage of petrol, diesel or LPG despite the ongoing conflict in West Asia.
The minister said that while it is difficult to predict when the war will end, India wants an early end to the hostilities and emphasised that the fighting should remain confined to armed forces and not target innocent civilians, schools or public places.
“The deal that we have signed with the United States — the Indo-US deal — is worth about Rs 45 lakh crore, and it is expected to generate employment for lakhs of people. This agreement will also greatly benefit the MSME sector, as small and medium industries will become stronger by manufacturing goods here and exporting them to the rest of the world. This will help in boosting our economy,” Athawale told reporters here.
Apart from the United States, he said India has also entered into agreements with European countries, which will further strengthen trade and economic growth.
The minister said he believes that the US-India deal is not against farmers and the opposition, especially Congress leader Rahul Gandhi among others, are spreading misinformation deliberately.
“Such agreements have been signed earlier as well. During the tenure of Manmohan Singh, similar agreements were made with the United States and other countries. In my opinion, the opposition is creating unnecessary disruption and wasting public money by raising daily protests. No matter how much Rahul Gandhi tries, India is becoming stronger under the leadership of Modi,” he said.
At present, according to the Republican Party Of India (A) chief, the war situation involving America, Israel and Iran is continuing, but India’s stand is clear that there should be no war.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said many times that we do not want war, we want peace and development. However, because the conflict is ongoing, there are concerns that shortages of petrol, diesel and gas could arise,” he said.
However, Athawale pointed out that Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has informed Parliament about India having the stock of petrol, diesel and gas sufficient for about two months. Therefore, there is no immediate problem, he said.
“India maintains good relations with Iran, the United States and Israel, which helps in maintaining supply and stability. The prime minister has recently visited Israel, and he also shares good relations with US President Donald Trump, so our international relations remain strong,” he said.
According to the minister, because of the good relations with Iran, ships carrying supplies have continued to arrive in India.
“At present, we have sufficient petrol, diesel and gas in stock. However, regular movement of goods has been affected due to the war. Items such as vegetables, fruits and other daily supplies that usually move through the region are facing disruptions, and transport has slowed down,” he added.
