Abrogation of Art 370 was a thoughtful decision: Amit Shah

NEW DELHI: Union Home Minister Amit Shah has said that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has been given powers to investigate cases of narco finance also as proceeds from the narco trade are being used for terror funding even as he asserted that Jammu and Kashmir is now happily and peacefully marching towards democracy.

“We have zero tolerance policy for any danger towards national security. We have strengthened laws. Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) has been amended. The NIA investigation ambit has been expanded to foreign nations.

The NIA can now designate even an individual as a terrorist. Narco financing has also been brought under the ambit of NIA,” he said in an interview to Republic TV.
The NIA has set up its offices in nine more States and by 2024, it will have offices in all States of the country, Shah said.

Replying to a question on jehadi and ISIS ideology, the Home Minister said any ideology which is threat to internal security of the country will not be tolerated and will be crushed strongly.

“It was because of the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution of India that 20,000 people in my rally at Baramulla district in the Kashmir valley raised slogans like ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ and sang national anthem,” Shah said, adding that stone pelting has completely come to an end in the Valley and 30,000 representatives of the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) are working for the people.

He said post abrogation of Article 370, record number of tourists have visited Kashmir and the Union Territory has received Rs 57,000 crore worth industrial investments. Every house in Kashmir is now receiving tapped water. For the first time, people of Jammu and Kashmir feel they have got all rights, he asserted.

“Abrogation of Article 370 has proved to be a thoughtful decision. A false narrative was build up earlier for Article 370. Our projections have turned out to be true,” the Home Minister said.

He reiterated that abrogation of special status of Jammu and Kashmir forever integrated the erstwhile State with the country. “It was a promise of the BJP and we fulfilled it by removing both the Articles”.

“Abrogation of Article 370 is a matter of the country’s unity, sovereignty and integrity. But unfortunately, there was an attempt to give it a different colour. Similarly, Uniform Civil Code is a matter of matching the spirit of the Constitution.

Via Article 44, the Constitution makers have given this advice to the country’s Parliament and Legislative Assemblies. Likewise, Triple Talaq doesn’t exist in many Muslim countries. All these are issues of a progressive State and the country’s future,” the Home Minister said.

As far as internal and national security is concerned, Shah said, the Central Government will continue with zero tolerance policy for any kind of potential threats. All the Central Government agencies are ready to strengthen internal security with all alertness, he added.
He declared that such dangers will not be tolerated and crushed strongly.

On Uniform Civil Code, Shah further called for public debate on it.

“When the States will implement it, the discussion will start. Instead of taking such a big decision only on the basis of BJP’s ideology, it is better that a public debate takes place,” he said but added that the BJP’s stand is clear that there should be Uniform Civil Code in the country and no law should be enacted on the basis of religion. At the same time, other people’s stance is also important,” the Home Minister said.