Union Home Minister Amit Shah assured on Saturday that statehood would be restored to Jammu and Kashmir following the Assembly elections, which he said will be the first conducted under the national flag and the Constitution after the Modi government’s abrogation of Article 370.
Jammu and Kashmir is headed for a three phase election starting September 18, and the counting of votes will be on October 8.
During BJP’s ‘Vijay Sankalp’ booth workers meeting in Jammu, Shah criticised the Congress-National Conference alliance for attempting to revive the “old system,” and pledged that the NDA government would prevent a resurgence of terrorism and protect the rights of communities such as Gujjars, Pahari, Bakerwals, and Dalits, who received reservations under the BJP administration.
Shah is in Jammu for a two-day visit to support the BJP’s campaign for elections.
“The upcoming election in Jammu and Kashmir are historic because they are the first to be held under our national flag and Constitution since Independence,” Shah told a BJP workers’ rally.
“In the past, there were two flags and two constitutions. Now, we have one prime minister from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, and that is Modi.”
He accused the National Conference and Congress of attempting to push Jammu and Kashmir back into terrorism, despite the government’s success in reducing terror incidents by 70 per cent.
“They (Congress, National Conference) say that they will start talks with Pakistan. I am saying this today, till the time there is peace, there will be no talks with Pakistan,” Shah said.
“The National Conference and the Congress will never be able to form a government in Jammu and Kashmir,” Shah said, urging party workers to ensure the success of BJP candidates in forming the next government.
On the first day of his visit, Shah released the party’s manifesto and chaired two key meetings with senior leaders to strategise for the election campaign.