J&K Assembly elections 2024: BJP hits back at National Conference, says, ‘they are deviating people’

Jammu (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], August 19 (ANI): Kavinder Gupta, former Deputy Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir and BJP leader slammed the National Conference after Omar Abdullah favoured for dialogue between India and Pakistan, accusing the party of misguiding the people.

Jammu and Kashmir National Conference leader Omar Abdullah said, “We said we will encourage it (Dialogue between India-Pakistan)…We have always been in favour of dialogue, and in future also we will remain in favour…As a responsible party, and being in government we will do everything in our power to encourage that dialogue…What is wrong in encouraging a dialogue.”

“Atal Bihari said we can change friends but not neighbours…Today we might not be in a position to talk, but we can hope that in future there might be a possibility of talks…it is not just the responsibility of our country alone to create an atmosphere for talks, it’s the duty of Pakistan also…But from our side, we will always be in favour of it…who will have a problem?”

Notably, National Conference on Monday launched its Manifesto that promised 12 guarantees to the people of the Union Territory.

The party’s Vice President Omar Abdullah launched the manifesto that includes some huge promises like- restoration of Article 370, 35-A and statehood, redrawing the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 and return and rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits.

The first guarantee of the NC’s manifesto envisage the restoration of political and legal status of the Union Territory and said that the party would strive to restore Article 370-35A and statehood prior to August 5, 2019.

With elections scheduled in Jammu and Kashmir for the first time since the abrogation of Article 370, Kavinder Gupta said, “The things that they have said, nothing is in their hand. How will they – release the prisoners, and restore Article 370?”

He accused the Farooq Abdullah-led party of misguiding the people and highlighted the security and unity witnessed in Kashmir since the Abrogation of Article 370.

The BJP leader added, “Even today, they are deviating people. That’s the way they exploited people and spread nepotism and terrorism. To hold talks with Pakistan is also not their prerogative…People of J&K now understand more about security, unity and integrity and they will not go for the politics of freebies.”

Centre has been claiming that the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019, coincided “with a new area of peace, development and prosperity.”

At a press conference where the party released its manifesto for the Assembly elections, NC Chief Spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq said, “We guarantee to restore normalcy…We will try to make the atmosphere better for dialogue between India and Pakistan. We will release all political leaders and youths who are in different prisons without any reason.”

He added, “We will also try to help people whose passport verifications are pending…”

The polling in the UT will be held in three phases on September 18, 25, and October 1, as per the Election Commission of India. The counting of the votes will take place on October 4.

These are the first elections to be held in Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370.

The PDP-BJP coalition government fell in June 2018 when the latter withdrew support to the then-Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti.

In December of last year, the Supreme Court directed the Centre to conclude the election process by September 30, 2024.