“Insaniyat, Jamhooriyat, Kashmiriyat”: Amit Shah’s big push for J&K

SRINAGAR, (PTK): Union Minister Amit Shah, responding to the debate on the bill to extend President’s Rule in Jammu and Kashmir, said the government will preserve “Insaniyat, Jamhooriyat and Kashmiriyat” — terms first used by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee while speaking of a healing touch for the state. But renewing the promise, Mr Shah also delivered a warning.

“Modi government’s commitment to the policy of ‘Jamhooriyat, Insaniyat, Kashmiriyat’ should not be taken to mean that the forces that want to divide India will be spared. They will be given an appropriate response in their same language,” Mr Shah said.

While defining the terms, the minister questioned what is understood as “Kashmiriyat”.

“I agree that we need to preserve Kashmiriyat. But I have a question which I want to place before you and the people,” Amit Shah said.

“Kashmiri Pandits – they were thrown out of the state. Were they not part of Kashmiriyat? When the Sufis were attacked, Sufi saints were murdered, those who used to talk of Hindu-Muslim unity, they were also thrown out of Kashmir. Wasn’t the Sufi tradition a part of Kashmiriyat?” he went on to add.