BJP will restore full democracy in J&K: Gulam Ali Khatana (IANS Interview)

New Delhi, Aug 17 (IANS) Gulam Ali Khatana, a nominated member of the Rajya Sabha from Jammu and Kashmir, said on Saturday that the BJP is trying to restore full democracy in the Union Territory.
In an exclusive interview with IANS, the BJP leader spoke on a range of issues, from the Bangladesh situation to Madhya Pradesh government’s order barring madrasas from enrolling non-Muslim children.Following are the excerpts from the interview:IANS: The dates for the Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir have been announced. How do you see the present situation in J&K?Gulam Ali Khatana: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is the biggest party in the world which believes in humanity. Our Prime Minister and Home Minister have been saying from many big platforms that we will bring democracy (in J&K). The biggest thing to note is that today J&K is strike-free, there are no more stone pelting. There is peace in the Valley… We have tried to ensure security for the people. By the grace of Allah, more than two crore tourists have visited J&K.IANS: How does the BJP look at the upcoming elections in J&K?Gulam Ali Khatana: BJP views all sections of people, be they from J&K, Pahadis, or Gujjars, with the same perspective. Congress and the regional parties had divided the people of Jammu and Kashmir. But we consider them as one unit. We conducted three-tier panchayat elections in J&K. Everyone, including the Prime Minister, appreciated the participation of people in the elections. We hope that people will take full advantage of democracy during the upcoming elections.IANS: Congress claims people’s freedom was snatched when the erstwhile state of J&K was divided into two Union Territories. What’s your take on this?Gulam Ali Khatana: Congress is known for saying one thing, and doing something else. But such methods no longer work in this age of social media. In the past, they created problems, suppressed people, and instilled fear among the public. But the BJP does not function in such manner. Congress caused rifts between Ladakh and Kashmir, as well as among the Gujjars and Pahadis. They even neglected the OBCs in Kashmir for 70 years and failed to restore their reservations. Developments that were unimaginable before have now become reality with substantial domestic and international investment in Jammu and Kashmir, particularly after the G20 Summit hosted by India.IANS: What’s your opinion on the situation being faced by the minorities in Bangladesh?Gulam Ali Khatana: Taking care of minorities is the duty of the majority. Our government has flagged the treatment of minorities with the interim government in Bangladesh. I would also like to remind the interim government of Bangladesh that Prophet Muhammad asked the majority to respect the minorities. These are the principles of Islam. What we see in social media has nothing to do with Islam or any other major religions of the world.IANS: The Madhya Pradesh government recently ruled that madrasas that receive state funding cannot compel children to participate in religious education. What’s your take on it?Gulam Ali Khatana: I think It means that if non-Muslim children are given Islamic education in madrasas, their registrations will be canceled. There is a rule in Madhya Pradesh that any child can study any language, be it Arabic or Hindi. At the end, it is an individual’s opinion, which cannot be forced on anyone. –IANS .jk/arm