‘NC, Cong, PDP want to revive era of violence’
Turnout up from 6-8 pc to 58-60 pc
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Sept 27: BJP national president JP Nadda today said the people of Jammu and Kashmir including youth have opted for peace over violence and ballot over bullets resulting into peaceful Assembly elections in the UT.
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Addressing a press conference here and an election rally at Phinter in Billawar Assembly constituency of Kathua district in favour of party candidate Satish Sharma, Nadda described first two phases of Assembly elections as “historic occasion” saying the people of Jammu and Kashmir have opted for ballot and given a befitting reply to the bullet.
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“Completion of first two phases of the Assembly elections shows the youth of Jammu and Kashmir have opted for peace over violence,” he said.
The BJP chief, who is also Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, declared that legal action will be taken against those responsible for doing injustice in Jammu and Kashmir specifically the Congress, PDP and NC. He said the individuals aged 20 to 25 were denied education and instead given weapons and stones, transforming them into stone-pelters.
Asserting that Congress, NC and PDP have just one goal to protect and promote the family, Nadda said Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s goal is to uplift the people of Jammu and Kashmir and send family-driven parties to home.
He described NC-Congress alliance as a mere deal between two political families saying they have nothing to do with the people of Jammu and Kashmir and have always prioritized their own families and corruption. The NC is involved in Roshni, J&K Bank, J&K land purchase and Cricket Association scams, he said.
“The polling (in the first two phases) passed off peacefully. Unlike previous elections, there was no violence, no firing and no terror attack. The election is a victory for peace and development in Jammu and Kashmir. The polling in the first two phases has shown that the people of Jammu and Kashmir want peace, stability and development. This is how we are viewing this election,” he said.
Lauding the youngsters of the Union Territory for their will to join the national mainstream, Nadda said, “They have given up arms and chosen the path of peace. People have also voted in favour of development.”
He said the youngsters of Kashmir have rejected terrorism.
“They have joined the national mainstream. Before the abrogation of Article 370 (of the Constitution), more than 300-400 youngsters would join terror ranks (every year) and would be declared terrorists. Today, there are just four. So based on data, I can confidently say that they have rejected terrorism and violence,” the BJP president said.
Hitting out at the NC, PDP and Congress for “trying to revive the era of violence and bloodshed” in Jammu and Kashmir, he accused these parties of supporting anti-India elements.
“They are supporting those activists who are working against the country. It has been mentioned in the NC’s manifesto that it will release terrorists (from jails), resume cross-border trade and talks with Pakistan. This is how the NC is supporting anti-India forces and the Congress is supporting it,” Nadda said, adding even the Pakistan Defence Minister has affirmed that the NC and Congress are representing their interests in Jammu and Kashmir.
He asserted that it is only the BJP which has genuinely cared for Jammu, ensuring peace and regional balance while the NC and Congress always indulge in regional imbalance and were never serious about addressing the needs of Jammu.
Referring to the visit of the heads of missions from different countries to oversee the Assembly polls, Nadda said, “Heads of missions from 16 countries visited Kashmir to observe the election. They saw the control over law and order and how people have increasingly participated in the polls. The election was held in a peaceful manner.”
The BJP chief said the people of Jammu and Kashmir have reposed their faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his policies in the first two phases of the polling
He hit back at National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah over his statement blaming the Central Government for ‘lower voter turnout’ in the second phase of the Assembly elections saying Omar is bad in mathematics.
Nadda said: “If one wants to see the poll percentage, it used to be 6 to 8 per cent but today it is 58 to 60 per cent. If he (Omar) was bad in mathematics, what can I do? There was 60 per cent voting in the first phase and 58 per cent in the second phase.”
Declaring that Statehood to Jammu and Kashmir can only be given by the Central Government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the BJP president charged NC and Congress with continuously telling lies on the issue. He said either the NC and Congress are completely unaware of the Constitutional position or they are trying to betray the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
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