NL Correspondent
New Delhi, Apr 19
In an extremely determined re-assertion of the NDA's zero-tolerance for terror, Prime Minister Narendra Modi criticised those who have been advocating a soft touch towards separatists in Jammu and Kashmir. Responding to a direct question from news channel vow to dilute the provisions of Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) to reduce the alienation of the people in the troubled state of J&K, the Prime Minister said that terrorists and separatists can only be dealt with a ‘hitting touch'. The ‘healing touch', the PM said should be reserved for the civilians of the state.
Q: Congress has mentioned AFSPA in their manifesto and said that they are going to review it or dilute it. They say that there is a need for a healing touch because the NDA's policies have led to a lot of imbalance, there is a lot of violence and that this is needed. Do you think that the way you have created pressure, you need some course correction?
Narendra Modi, Prime Minister: We follow the principles of Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji. Humanity, Democracy and Kashmiriyat – we are treading this path. We and the country are ready for extra healing touch for the people of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh but there can only be hitting touch for terrorists. We will have to make a clear demarcation that healing touch is for the citizens and hitting ØP02
touch for the terrorists. They believe in the exact opposite of this. They want a healing touch for separatists and terrorists and a hitting touch for Central government. This is wrong.
This extra healing touch is for the policemen who are dying in Kashmir, the army jawans who come home for weddings in their families and being killed – they need a healing touch. There are children who are making the country proud in sports competitions, they need a healing touch. They need an extra healing touch. I am willing to walk that mile to provide them with that but there will be no healing touch to separatists and terrorists. I will not let them be given that treatment and will only give them hitting touch.
Modi promises 50-lakh loan, credit card, pension if NDA re-elected
New Delhi, Apr 19
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday promised traders Rs 50-lakh loan without any collateral, credit card facility and a pension scheme for small shopkeepers as he made a strong re-election pitch to the business community.
Modi said while his Government has stood by traders in thick and thin, the opposition Congress has abused businessmen by calling all of them ‘chor' (thieves).
Addressing a traders' convention here, he said the BJP-led NDA Government in the last five years at the Centre worked to simplify lives and businesses of traders by scraping 1,500 archaic laws, simplifying processes and providing easy credit.
Traders are “backbone” of the Indian economy but had in past never got the respect they deserved, Modi said, adding that doubling the size of the economy to USD 5 trillion is not possible without their contribution.
