The region was under a security clampdown after the abrogation of Article 370 (August 5), which granted it special status.
He lashed out at the Congress for the deaths of 41,000 people in Kashmir in the last 7 decades.
Commenting on how PM Narendra Modi and he took an unprecedentedly bold step which no government could contemplate, Shah said, “With respect to Article 370, we always believed that is was a temporary provision. Preparations for the removal of 370 were going on right from the beginning. Kashmir is our internal matter and there is no question of war on it. The whole world is with India on Kashmir.”
On the government imposing numerous charges against former J&K Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah to detain him under the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA), Shah said “Farooq Abdullah has been kept under house arrest due to security reasons. There is no question of keeping him in custody for two years. There is no coercion in Kashmir and people should not be influenced by rumors. The government's intention is to pay full attention to the development of Kashmir and that’s why Article 370 was abrogated.”
On the Supreme Court today stating that Ayodhya case hearings must be completed by October 18, Shah said “we wants the court’s decision to come soon and will accept whatever it is. Today’s decision would have come much earlier, had not Kapil Sibal had caused an impediment citing general elections.”
Responding to a question on the contentious issue of National Register of Citizens (NRC), Shah asserted that NRC should be implemented across the country as it does not pertain just to Assam.
“Can an Indian go and live illegally in US, UK, Russia? No, then how can other nationals reside in India without legal documentation? That's why I believe National Register of Citizens (NRC) should be implemented all over the country,” he pointed out.
On the horizon this calendar year are three important states going for assembly elections - Maharashtra, Haryana and Jharkhand. If Narendra Modi, Amit Shah and the team are able to deliver these states to BJP , it will be another feather in the duo's cap.
Shah said the Raghubar Das government has done a lot of work for Adivasis (tribals) unlike previous governments which couldn’t walk the talk. “Our government has provided electricity in every village and where it’s still not available, the work will also be completed before October 15. Under the leadership of PM Modi, the Government of Jharkhand is moving forward in the spirit of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas.”
On politicians in Southern India slamming Amit Shah's recent push for Hindi as a unifying language for the country, the home minister said, "It's a democratic country and people are free to express but I never spoke about any kind of imposition. They've said perhaps to consolidate their vote bank. I said what I wanted to with utmost clarity, there's no confusion at all. If they want more clarification, they can call me".