Dhule/Sangli/Surat: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday accused the Congress-led INDIA bloc of wanting to take the Constitution out of Jammu and Kashmir and asserted that no power in the world can restore Article 370 there.
He also accused the Congress of pitting one caste against another and cautioned people to stay united. “Ek hai, toh safe hai,” he said.
Addressing his first rally in Maharashtra for the November 20 assembly elections, Modi said the INDIA grouping is flaunting blank books passing them off as the Constitution to provoke Dalits and Adivasis.
The PM said the Congress and its allies should not encourage the “Pakistan agenda” and speak the language of separatists. The agenda won’t succeed till he has people’s blessings, said Modi.
“Only Ambedkar’s constitution will be followed in J&K. You must have seen on TV how a resolution was moved in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly on bringing back Article 370 and when BJP MLAs protested, they were thrown out. The country and Maharashtra should understand this,” Modi said.
Neither Congress leader Rahul Gandhi nor his fourth generation will be able to bring back Article 370 that gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir, Union minister Amit Shah said in a stinging attack on the opposition at a poll rally in Maharashtra’s Sangli.
The J&K assembly on Wednesday passed a resolution seeking a dialogue between the Central government and elected representatives for restoration of Article 370 granting special status to the erstwhile state. The move was hailed by the valley-based political parties while it prompted protests by the main opposition BJP which demanded its rollback.
The provision was scrapped on August 5, 2019.
Addressing a rally in Sangli for Mahayuti (ruling alliance) candidates Sudhir Gadgil and Sanjay Kaka Patil, the Union Minister said the Congress was supporting the National Conference, the ruling party in J&K, in this endeavour.
“From the land of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, I am telling you Rahul baba that neither you nor your fourth generation will be able to restore Article 370. Every child of the country is ready to fight for Kashmir,” the senior BJP leader asserted.
“When Prime Minister Narendra Modi took the decision to abrogate Article 370, I brought the bill (in Parliament) but Rahul Gandhi, Sharad Pawar, Mamta Banerjee, Akhilesh Yadav and Stalin opposed the move. They said do not remove Article 370 as it would lead to bloodshed in the Valley. Forget rivers of blood, nobody dared to throw a stone,” Shah said.
“During the UPA government of Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh, terrorist attacks were frequent, but after Modi became PM, the incidents at Uri and Pulwama led to surgical strikes that wiped out terrorists in Pakistan,” Shah told the gathering.
Meanwhile in Surat (Gujarat), Union Minister CR Paatil on Friday slammed the Congress by saying its leaders move around with a copy of the Constitution but support the restoration of the scrapped Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir.
“Congress leaders roam around with a copy of the Constitution but they are supporting the National Conference to get a decision taken by our Parliament to scrap Article 370 and 35A overturned. The real face of these parties has been exposed. They will never succeed in their intentions,” Paatl said at a press conference.
“The scrapping of Article 370 has given people of J&K freedom in the true sense and reservation benefits to Dalits and tribals there,” the Union Jal Shakti minister said.
“Terrorist attacks in Jammu and Kashmir have reduced by 70 percent since the repeal of Article 370. People there are now fed up with terrorism and want to contribute to the development of the country. Instead of giving priority to development work, the elected government (NC) is working to overturn a decision taken by Parliament,” he said.
“People should ask where the Congress’ loyalty to the Constitution has gone now. What is their objection to protecting the rights given by the Constitution to the tribal-Dalit and minority communities? Why do they want to take away their rights? Congress has to give answers to the people of this country,” Paatil asserted. (With inputs from three PTI reports)
