Guwahati, Feb 21 (KNS): Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday asserted that a new era of peace and development has dawned in Jammu and Kashmir, highlighting a complete halt to stone-pelting incidents in the Valley following the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019.

 

Addressing the 87th Raising Day parade of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) here, the Union Home Minister as per news agency Kashmir News Service (KNS) credited the synergy between the security forces and the local populace for the dramatic transformation in the internal security landscape of the Union Territory.

 

"Stone-pelting incidents in Kashmir have become zero. Industries are coming up, and development is taking place. The CRPF, BSF, and especially the Jammu and Kashmir Police have made a huge contribution to this," the Home Minister said.

 

He underscored that the absence of violence has paved the way for economic growth, stating that not a single bullet has been fired in the UT since the special status was scrapped—a testament to the restored normalcy.

 

The Home Minister placed the restoration of peace in Kashmir within the broader context of the government's success in neutralizing internal security threats.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp ChannelHe noted that regions once plagued by unrest—Jammu and Kashmir, Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) areas, and the Northeast—are now transforming into "engines of growth."

 

"Eleven to twelve years ago, these regions were sores on the nation's internal security, marked by bomb blasts, bullets, bandhs, and blockades. Today, all three have become engines of growth," Shah said, lauding the sacrifices of the CRPF and other forces for enabling this developmental leap.

 

In a firm message regarding Left-Wing Extremism, the Home Minister set a deadline of March 31, 2026, to completely eradicate the Naxal menace, praising the CRPF's valor in operations like "Operation Black Forest."

 

Earlier in the day, Home Minister Shah also laid the foundation stone for the 10th Battalion headquarters of the Assam Police. Addressing that gathering, he attacked opposition parties for treating infiltrators as a "vote bank" and reiterated the Modi government's commitment to ridding the country of both Naxalism and illegal infiltrators.

 

During the CRPF parade, 14 personnel were awarded the Police Medal for Gallantry, and five received the President's Police Medal for Distinguished Service. (KNS)