PM Modi asks people to vote for J&K’s future, promises restoration of statehood

Katra (J&K), Sep 19 (PTI) Asking people to cast their votes wisely in the ongoing Assembly polls that are “linked to the future of Jammu and Kashmir”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said the voters should ensure the sunset of the politics practised by the Congress, NC and PDP, which have “inflicted wounds” in the region for years together.

Addressing a poll rally in Katra, the base camp for the pilgrims visiting the Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district, Modi also accused the Congress leadership of insulting Hindu gods and goddesses under a “well-thought-out conspiracy” and due to a “Naxal mindset”.

This was the second rally addressed by the prime minister in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday and third in a week. He addressed another rally in Srinagar earlier in the day. On September 14, Modi had addressed a rally in Doda district.

The prime minister reiterated that his government will restore statehood in Jammu and Kashmir and also asserted that terrorism and separatism, which have weakened after the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution, will be completely wiped out from the region.

“This election is for choosing the future of Jammu and Kashmir. This election is meant to take the new Jammu and Kashmir to new heights of development,” he said.

“The three families of the Congress, NC and PDP inflicted wounds on the people here for years together. We have to ensure the sunset of their politics by pressing the button next to lotus, the BJP’s poll symbol. It is the BJP that has prioritised your interests and ended the decades-old discrimination against the region,” the prime minister said, giving the slogan “Abki baar, BJP sarkar”.

Modi’s rallies in Srinagar and Katra came a day after the first phase of polling in the Assembly election, covering 24 constituencies in seven south Kashmir districts and the Chenab valley region, and registering more than 61 per cent voting.

Launching a scathing attack on the Congress, the prime minister alleged that for some votes, the opposition party is capable of putting “our faith and culture” at stake.

“This is a place that has links to our faith and identity, so you should vote for a government that honours and takes forward our faith and culture,” he said.

Referring to Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi’s recent visit to the United States, Modi said, “What does the heir of the Congress say on foreign land? You might have heard him saying that our devi, devtas are not gods. There is a tradition of praying to devi, devtas in our villages. We are believers. But these Congress people say they are not gods. Are you satisfied with his words? Is this not an insult to our gods? Should they not be punished for this?”

He alleged that Congress leaders say such things intentionally.

“This is a well-thought-out conspiracy. This is a Naxal thought and ideas imported from other religions and countries. Today, the Congress is under the influence of this Naxal ideology and you should be cautious of it,” Modi said.

With such “Naxal ideology”, he claimed that Congress leaders have attacked the Dogra tradition by levelling baseless allegations on Dogra rulers.

“The Congress is the largest corrupt family in the country and this family is the birthplace of corruption and its nourisher,” he said, claiming that the opposition party is accusing the family of the Dogra rulers of being “corrupt”.

Referring to Gandhi’s campaign against hatred, Modi said in the name of “mohabbat ki dukan”, Congress leaders are selling the merchandise of hate.

“This is their old strategy. They do not see beyond their vote bank. That is why they widened the gap between the two regions of Jammu and Kashmir for decades and discriminated against Jammu,” he said.

The prime minister said the BJP honoured the last Dogra ruler, Maharaja Hari Singh, by announcing a holiday on his birth anniversary and “we connected Jammu with the path of development”.

“Modi is working day and night for the development of Jammu and Kashmir, whereas they (the Congress and the National Conference) never did any good for youngsters and destroyed their future. Not only Kashmir, the fire caused by them burned Jammu as well, while the country’s enemies sitting across the border benefitted from it,” he said.

The prime minister also paid tributes to Vijay Kumar, the driver of a bus that was attacked by terrorists in Reasi on June 9, resulting in the killing of nine people, including seven pilgrims returning from Shiv Khori.

“During the cowardly attack on pilgrims some months ago, Kumar gave his life to save the pilgrims. Such an action inspires us,” he said, adding that terrorism and separatism have weakened in Jammu and Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019.

“Jammu and Kashmir is moving towards peace and development. With your support, the region will be completely free from terrorism,” Modi said.

He said the BJP’s manifesto for the Jammu and Kashmir polls has promised a “white paper” on terrorism to provide justice to terror victims.

“The divisive politics of the Congress, NC, PDP led to the suffering of our Kashmiri Hindus and Sikhs. Our manifesto also carries special announcements to ensure a better future for them,” the prime minister said.

On restoration of statehood, Modi said, “From the foothills of Vaishno Devi, I am promising that statehood will be returned to Jammu and Kashmir. Not that I am saying this at a poll rally, but we have announced this in Parliament.”