Daijiworld Media Network - Srinagar

Srinagar, Aug 23: Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) Jitendra Singh on Sunday said Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed the restoration of normalcy, peace and development since Prime Minister Narendra Modi assumed office.

Speaking to reporters after a BJP workers' meeting in Srinagar, Singh said the gathering of BJP office-bearers from across Jammu and Kashmir was held in the Valley after a considerable gap.

He said such organisational meetings were a longstanding tradition of the BJP and were regularly held at different locations.

"Over the past 12 years—since Prime Minister Narendra Modi assumed office—the atmosphere here has transformed," Singh said, adding that conditions were returning to normal and development work was progressing rapidly.

He said the mindset of ordinary citizens, particularly the youth, was also changing as they had witnessed the difficult period the region had gone through.

According to Singh, young people in Kashmir are increasingly aspirational and determined to take advantage of emerging opportunities.

He cited lavender farming and the 'Purple Revolution' as examples of new economic opportunities in the region and also referred to the construction of new dams.

Singh said Jammu and Kashmir would play an important role in Prime Minister Modi's vision of a 'Viksit Bharat' by 2047.

Cites Chandrayaan-3 success

Singh also highlighted India's space achievements, recalling that Chandrayaan-3 landed near the Moon's South Pole on August 23, three years ago.

He said India's achievement demonstrated that the country had never lacked human resources or talent, but needed enabling support and leadership to realise its potential.

"Although other nations had initiated their space journeys and programmes long before us, we became the first country in the world to reach the South Pole," Singh said.

He noted that the space sector had been opened to private participation under the Modi government and said the rapid expansion of India's space economy had helped position the country among the world's leading space nations.

BJP discusses Assembly strategy

The meeting was attended by senior BJP leaders, including Jammu and Kashmir unit president Sat Sharma, Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma, former Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh and BJP MP Gulam Ali Khatana.

Sunil Sharma said BJP workers from across Jammu and Kashmir participated in the meeting, where the party's strategy for the upcoming Assembly session in the Union Territory was discussed.

Khatana described the BJP as the world's largest cadre-based party and said organisational meetings were a routine exercise.

He said the BJP's position remained that Jammu and Kashmir was an integral part of India and alleged that the issue of Pakistan's "illegal occupation" remained unresolved.

Khatana also accused the Congress and other parties of engaging in vote-bank politics and alleged that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had attempted to "hijack" protests by young people by involving anti-social elements.

He further accused Gandhi of wasting the time of several parliamentary sessions.