Prime Minister Narendra Modi today challenged the oppositionon its complaints about the government's move on Jammu and Kashmir, asking themto reverse it "if they dare".
"Do you think anyone has the courage to bring it back?Will their political career survive if they dare to?" he said in what wasseen as a direct challenge to Rahul Gandhi, who is also campaigning in thestate today.The BJP has taken up the move to scrap the special status of Jammuand Kashmir under Article 370 of the Constitution and bifurcate it into twounion territories as one of the key themes in the coming round of stateelections that will be held later this month.
The Congress had vehemently opposed the government's move -announced in parliament in August -- maintaining that Jammu and Kashmir accededto India "as one State" and no government has the power to change itsstatus or divide it or reduce any part of it to a Union Territory."If youdare, take a clear stance and come forward," Prime Minister Narendra Modisaid today while addressing a rally in Maharashtra's Jalgaon. "I challengethem, if they have the guts, declare in their manifesto for the state electionand future polls too, that they will bring back Article 370 and 35A, which theBJP, the Modi government scrapped... that they will change the August 5 decision.Stop shedding crocodile tears," he said.
Last month, at a public meeting to explain how thegovernment has executed its decision and reasons for it, Amit Shah had blamedformer Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru for the formation of Pakistan-OccupiedKashmir (PoK), and said it was because of the "untimely ceasefire"declared in 1948."By abrogating Article 370 Narendra Modi has given thiscountry a reason to celebrate nationalism," he had said at a rally inMaharashtra's Beed.The BJP had also built their campaign for the April-May LokSabha elections around nationalism - a shift that took place soon after theterror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama in February. Days later, the AirForce had conducted air strikes on a Jaish-e Mohammad terror camp at Pakistan'sBalakot.
In August, the government had ended the special status ofJammu and Kashmir granted under Article 370 and bifurcated the state into twounion territories. It was accompanied by a series of restrictions in Jammu andKashmir -- including the unplugging of internet in Jammu and Kashmir and thehouse arrest of political leaders -- that triggered opposition protests.
The BJP has repeatedly stressed on what it called theCongress's "inability" to take a similar step and projected the government'smove in Jammu and Kashmir as one of the achievements in the second term of theNarendra Modi government.
Leave a comment
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *